How Much Fish Should We eat and Why??

[Guest guest]

How Much Fish Should We Eat and Why?

 

In your Vitamin Advisor questionnaire you asked for the number of servings of

fresh fish we eat. I like canned salmon. Does that meet the requirements? If so,

in what amounts? And would any other food, like nuts, be as good?

 

-- Anonymous

 

 

Answer (Published 02/12/2002)

 

 

 

The purpose of this question is to determine your intake of the essential fatty

acids called Omega-3s. Omega-3s may help reduce the risk and symptoms of many

disorders such as heart disease, cancer, macular degeneration (age-related

blindness), arthritis, and all inflammatory disorders.

 

These fatty acids are found primarily in oily fish that live in cold water,

especially salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, AND, to a lesser extent,

albacore tuna.

 

Wild Alaska salmon (which may have more omega-3s than farmed salmon) is my first

choice because it’s both tasty and relatively free of the environmental toxins

that contaminate many species of fish. If fresh salmon is not feasible for you,

then canned salmon is an acceptable choice.

 

My longstanding recommendation is to consume 2-to-3 servings of fish per week. A

3-ounce serving of Alaska salmon or herring contains about 2 grams of omega-3

fatty acids, while 3 ounces of advertisement

 

has about 1.3 grams.

 

Fish is not the only source of omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts, flax, and hemp

provide alpha-linolenic acid, which the body converts to the omega-3 fatty acids

it needs. You can substitute one ounce of walnuts for a serving of fish, or add

a tablespoon or two of flax or hemp oil to your diet. The only problem with

plant sources of these nutrients is that some people may not be able to convert

alpha-linolenic acid to the longer-chain forms that occur in fish (which are the

ones the body needs).

 

I am not opposed to taking fish oil supplements if you are not getting an

adequate amount in your diet, particularly if you have any of the following

health conditions: high cholesterol, diabetes, symptoms of PMS, coronary artery

disease, breast cancer, memory loss, depression, insulin resistance, high

cholesterol, or rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Dr. Andrew Weil

www.drweil.com

_________________

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjoguest

DietaryTipsForHBP

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Genes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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