Eating fish twice a week lowers the risk of stroke and heart failure

Indonesia is a maritime country that has abundant marine resources. It is not surprising that fish are often a side dish for daily rice meals. Apart from being easy to obtain, this seafood is rich in various important nutrients such as omega 3 fatty acids, high-quality protein, and various vitamins (one of which is vitamin D) and other minerals needed to maintain a healthy body. Well, did you know that getting into the habit of eating fish twice a week can help maintain heart health?

Eating fish twice a week can be healthy for the heart

Fish is one of the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids which are important for the body and brain. In the journal Circulation published in 2002, the American Heart Association (AHA) states that getting used to eating fish high in omega-3s twice a week helps reduce the risk of heart failure, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and ischemic stroke.

Eric B. Rimm, Sc.D., professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston who is also one of the authors of the study, stated that fish is a healthier source of protein compared to meat that is rich in saturated fat.

This is reinforced by other studies that have shown that replacing three percent of protein from processed meat with fish can reduce 31 percent of the risk of death from heart complications or stroke. The reason is, meat contains saturated fat which, if consumed in excess, can increase bad cholesterol levels to cause plaque in the arteries (atherosclerosis) which can trigger various heart diseases.

Plus about 40% of people have less vitamin D levels in their bodies. This can lead to the risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D is usually obtained from sun exposure, but fish can also be a good source of vitamin D for the body.

Benefits of omega 3 fatty acids for the heart

Quoted from Healthline, the various benefits of omega 3 fatty acids for heart health, namely:

Lower triglyceride levels (fats other than cholesterol) by 15 to 30 percent.
Lowering blood pressure in hypertensive people.
Increase HDL or good cholesterol levels in the body.
Keep arteries from damage and prevent plaque buildup that can clog and harden arteries.
Reducing the production of several substances that cause inflammation.

However, you cannot replace fish with fish oil supplements that also contain omega 3. The reason is, there are no research results that prove that fish oil supplements have the same benefits as eating fish directly.

Make sure to cook the fish in the right way

The AHA recommends eating two 100 gram servings of fish each week. Almost all fish contain good nutrition, but salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, sardines, albacore tuna, anchovies, and also catfish contain more omega 3 fatty acids than other fish. For that, try to eat various types of fish in order to get maximum benefits for your heart health.

However, also pay attention to how to cook it. The reason is, the wrong way of cooking can affect the nutrients in it. Research conducted on 90 thousand Americans found that people who eat fried fish once a week have a 48 percent higher risk of heart failure than those who eat fish without frying it. In addition, the omega-3 content of fried tuna can decrease by 75% -80%. The same thing happens to salmon, the content of vitamin D can also be reduced by half if fried.

Compared to frying, here are various ways to cook fish that are recommended to maintain nutritional integrity.

Boil and steam

Source: Recipelar

Boiling and steaming are methods of cooking that use water or other liquids such as broth during the cooking process. Both of these cooking methods do not use the addition of oil so that they do not add calories and the good fat content in the fish is maintained. Both also use a lower temperature than other cooking methods. This helps maintain nutritional integrity and minimizes the formation of harmful cancer-causing chemicals.

Grilling

Source: Thehealthyfish.com

Grilling is a way of cooking by heating fish until browned with the help of a little oil. Several studies have shown that compared to frying and heating in the microwave, grilling removes only a small amount of the omega 3 fatty acids in fish. Grilling also maintains the vitamin D content in fish. Use olive oil in the baking process because it is much healthier than regular cooking oil.

What are you waiting for, don't delay good things that can bring important benefits to your health. Cultivate the habit of eating fish in family members and those closest to you for better heart health.