Healthy Fish

Did you know that healthy fish foods are not only very good for you, they can also be served in a huge variety of ways to suit your likes or dislikes. Gone are the days of a wet textured oily chewy piece of fish, and in are flaky, slightly salty, white meat with a side dish of healthy new potatoes and greens.

Ways to Prepare Fish

There's so much variety you can use to complement the fish you like. For the most part preparing a meal with fish as the main source of protein is cheap and relatively easy to make. More and more people are turning to fish foods as a vital healthy part of a balanced diet.

You can steam, grill, bake, griddle, lightly fry and even barbeque before you even need to think about immersing a piece of fish in batter to the deep fat fryer! What about creating a foil parcel and boiling in water too - poaching!

Why is Eating Fish So Important?

Research has shown that they can greatly reduce the risk of heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes. This is because they tend to be low in saturated fat, which clogs up our arteries causing high blood pressure and other serious problems.

Of course, if you fry them up in lots of oil or dip them in batter, this greatly increases their fat content. But perhaps even more importantly than the lack of fat is the fact that most species, particularly cod, mackerel, salmon and tuna, tend to be high in omega-3 oil.

Omega-3 actually helps to prevent blood clots in the arteries and to keep them in good shape. Its generally recommended that you should eat an average of two fish meals a week. These meals are also high in protein and therefore an excellent source of energy.

What Else Comes from Fish?

Fish are a good source of calcium, which helps to prevent osteoporosis. This is particularly true of canned sardines as well as whitebait where the bones are easy to eat. Its especially good for those suffering from, or at risk of developing, diabetes and is even thought to help prevent asthma in children.

However, the levels of mercury and other pollutants present in some species have given rise to concern, so its worth being aware of where your meal is coming from.