How many times should I eat fish per week?

Having a healthy life, with a balanced diet is always a topic that interests everyone. It is about eating correctly and therefore, having a better quality of life. Have you ever wondered how many times a week you should eat fish?

Fish is one of those basic pillars included in the food pyramid that should never be missing in our diet. For this reason, many people wonder how many times a week to eat fish, and how beneficial it is for our body and overall health.

Why is eating fish so important for our health?

Talking about the benefits of fish and seafood consumption can never be too much. It is a topic that is always in vogue for nutrition and health specialists, especially for the heart; in fact, the American Heart Association has recently pointed out that people have more reasons than ever to eat fish and make it an important part of their diets.

As we all know, fish is rich in fatty acids such as omega-3. Spokespersons from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics explain that it has anti-inflammatory effects that help minimize the narrowing of the arteries, thus reducing the possibility of heart problems.

Such is its importance within the diet, that it has been concluded that people who eat fish at least twice a week have a lower risk of suffering heart attacks, stroke and heart failure.

Multiple benefits of fish

On the other hand, the Professor of Public Health at Harvard University, Eric Rimm, has confirmed that there are many scientific studies that support the multiple benefits of eating fish and seafood rich in omega 3, especially when replacing less healthy foods such as meat rich in saturated fats. These benefits include:

• The proteins in fish and also seafood are of high biological value.
• It contains all the essential amino acids that the body needs.
• It is rich in minerals such as iodine, sodium, selenium, phosphorus and calcium.
• They are low in calories and rich in protein.
• They are delicious, easy to cook, and can be prepared in multiple ways.
• They are highly related to good mental health, concentration and memory.

How many times to eat fish per week

Several nutrition specialists have pointed out that it is important for all family members to eat fish two or three times a week, in order to enjoy the nutritional benefits of the different varieties of fish.

However, when it comes to children, there is talk of a higher consumption, recommending up to 4 times a week to contribute to the healthy development and growth of the little ones.

Pregnant women, nursing mothers and older adults should also include this food as a priority in their basic diet, at least 3 times a week.

Of course, so that the body can take advantage of the multiple properties of fish, it is recommended to prepare fish in a healthy way, without saturated fats. Therefore, it is recommended to steam, grill or stew fish, and reduce fried foods.

As we talked about in a previous article, nutritionists are recommending more and more to substitute red meat, so recommended in previous times, for fish. Since many studies are confirming the healthy benefits of fish and seafood, and against, demonstrating the disadvantages of following a diet with a high consumption of red meat.

Visit our Fish and Seafood Recipes section and choose your favorite recipes.