How Eating More Fish Boosts Your Health
In a world buzzing with extreme diets, confusion often reigns regarding what to eat, with many people subsequently becoming deficient in essential nutrients. But we can boost our health by including certain superfoods in our daily regimens. Eating more fish, particularly salmon, is one way to achieve this.
The rich composition of certain types of oily fish, like wild-caught salmon, makes them a nutritional powerhouse for essential health elements that our bodies can't produce themselves.
Let's dive into the details of how eating more fish benefits our health, with a particular focus on salmon, a fish renowned for its rich flavor and impressive nutrient profile.
Heart Health
One of the most significant health benefits of eating salmon is its rich treasury of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These fatty acids play a crucial part in heart health. Extensive studies show connections to several cardiovascular benefits.
Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce triglyceride levels, decrease inflammation, enhance blood vessel function, and lower blood pressure. (HDL) levels. These effects collectively reduce the risk of heart disease.
Omega-3s can also help increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good" cholesterol, while decreasing levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), often called the "bad" cholesterol.
These fatty acids can decrease the amount of arterial plaque, a leading cause of atherosclerosis, a condition that narrows and hardens the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Inflammation and Joint Health
Inflammation is the body's natural reaction to injury or infection, but its chronic form can cause a host of health issues, including arthritis and autoimmune diseases. Salmon's omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that can alleviate symptoms associated with arthritis and other inflammatory joint conditions.
Salmon also contains calcitonin, which can regulate and stabilize collagen syntheses in the cartilage surrounding the joints, helping to prevent bone loss.
The omega-3s in salmon can also help manage autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis by reducing the inflammatory response.
Eye Health
Along with its high content of fatty acids, salmon is also rich in antioxidants, including vitamin A, which is essential for eye health. These powerful elements can help protect against age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and dry eye syndrome, two prevalent eye conditions that can lead to vision impairment.
Skin and Hair Health
Salmon's remarkable omega-3s can also benefit your skin and hair. They help maintain skin elasticity, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. With their anti-inflammatory properties, they can also relieve psoriasis and eczema symptoms. The vitamin D in salmon can also help to protect your skin against UV rays.
The omega-3 fatty acids help prevent hair loss and increase hair density. In addition, it prevents dry scalp and gives your crowning glory a beautiful shine.
Weight Management
Including salmon in your diet may also help with weight management. The rich protein content and healthy fats in salmon can help increase feelings of fullness, lessen our cravings for unhealthy snacks, and promote weight loss or maintenance as part of a calorie-controlled diet.
Brain Health
Salmon's omega-3 fatty acids are not only good for the body, but they also play a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing brain health.
Eating salmon regularly can improve memory and concentration. Omega-3 fatty acids enhance memory, facilitate better focus, and improve cognitive performance, which is especially important as we age. DHA, in particular, is a vital component contributing to cognitive function and supporting neurological development in children. Children with ADHD can benefit from adding salmon to their diet as it can help them concentrate.
Some studies show omega-3s reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia. Research also indicates that these fatty acids bolster our mental health. They can positively affect the areas of the brain responsible for our moods and have anti-inflammatory properties that may lessen depression and anxiety symptoms.
As people become more aware of the importance of good mental health and the prevalence of diseases such as Alzheimer's, there’s been an increase in sales of brain and mental health supplements. These supplements tend to include omega-3 due to its essential health benefits.
An Excellent Source of Protein
The human body needs high-quality protein to perform functions like protecting your bone health, healing after an injury, and maintaining muscle mass as you age. Wild-caught fish, particularly salmon, is rich in protein, with a 3.5-ounce piece of salmon providing about one-third of the recommended daily allowance.
A Source of B Vitamins
Salmon is rich in various B vitamins, nutrients that play a significant role in several vital processes in the body, including turning food into energy, building and repairing DNA, forming red blood cells, and decreasing chronic inflammation. In addition, the vitamin B family works together to keep your brain and nervous system operating like a well-oiled machine.
Loaded With Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants
Aside from the B vitamins, salmon contains many other nutrients that benefit your health:
- Iron is vital for several bodily processes, including muscle metabolism and oxygen transfer to other tissues from the lungs.
- Selenium helps prevent damage by free radicals.
- Potassium helps to regulate blood pressure.
- Iodine plays a significant role in supporting thyroid function.
- Vitamin D helps to combat depression symptoms and supports the immune system.
- Astaxanthin is a red pigment responsible for salmon's pink color. It is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, protecting the body against free radical damage.
Great Ways To Eat Salmon
Sometimes, the healthiest foods are those with unpleasant flavors, but not so with salmon. You can enjoy this nutritionally rich, buttery, flavorful treat in multiple ways, including smoked, grilled, fried, baked, as sushi, or with salads.
You should always choose wild-caught salmon, never the farmed variety. They are healthier and taste better than their farm-bred cousins. In addition, you're preserving the area's natural ecosystems.
Serve Up Salmon For Good Health
Salmon's exceptional nutrient makeup, especially its omega-3 fatty acids, makes it a nutritional superstar with endless health benefits. If you're looking for tasty and healthy foods to add to your diet, salmon is your one-stop health shop.
