General Health
Questions and Answers about Fish and Omega-3 Fats
By AICR
Apr 17, 2008 - 10:34:25 PM

AICR Ever Green Ever Healthy
April 2008
Topic: Food

Questions and Answers about Fish and Omega-3 Fats
from the American Institute for Cancer Research

Scientists are finding many potential health benefits from omega-3 fats in cold-water fish like salmon, rainbow trout, white albacore tuna and sardines. Some fish, notably salmon and white tuna, may contain mercury and toxins called PCBs (light tuna contains less mercury). However, most experts believe that by limiting fish to two 3-ounce servings per week and removing skin and visible fat, the health benefits of eating these fish outweigh the hazards from pollutants. Women who may become or are pregnant, or who are nursing, as well as young children, should avoid those fish with highest mercury content: king mackerel, tilefish, shark and swordfish, but eat other kinds.

Q: Does the omega-3 fat in fish lower blood cholesterol?

A: Omega-3 fat, whether from fish or supplements, does not directly reduce blood cholesterol. However, fish does provide many heart health benefits. Substituting healthfully prepared fish – not fish that is battered or deep fried – for meat or cheese may help drop your blood cholesterol. The cholesterol lowering would be due to the drop in saturated fat, not to the fish itself. You would also lower saturated fat consumption and thus blood cholesterol, by substituting a low fat bean dish for fatty meat. Fish especially high in omega-3 fat, such as salmon and rainbow trout, seems to lower risk of heart disease through a variety of mechanisms. Omega-3 fat may help keep heart rhythm normal, decrease inflammation, reduce plaque and clot formation in blood vessels, lower blood triglycerides and slightly reduce blood pressure.

Q: Do eggs that are high in omega-3 fat provide the same healthy fat found in fish?

A: Egg producers can alter the type of fat found in their eggs by changing the type of fat that their chickens are fed. Several brands of eggs are available from hens fed a diet that includes ground flaxseed, a source of omega-3 fat. Amounts vary between producers, but compared to a traditional egg that has essentially no omega-3 fat, these may each have from 200 to 400 milligrams (mg) of omega-3 fat. As a reference, the omega-3 content of a three-ounce portion of fish considered high in omega-3 fat (namely trout, sea bass and sockeye salmon) can range from 800 to over 1000 mg. Two eggs that together provide the upper range of omega-3 content would be roughly the equivalent of one serving of these fish. A cautionary note to those sensitive to cholesterol: Two eggs contain from 370 to 450 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol – more than is recommended for a whole day.

Q: Is cod one of the fish high in omega-3 fat?

A: No; cod has less than 1 gram of total fat in a modest serving – about 3 ounces, unless you add more fat in cooking. Cod is a lean white fish with a mild flavor and firm but flaky texture. It can be baked, broiled, microwaved or used in seafood stew or soup. It’s a healthful choice, with barely a trace of saturated fat. Simply eating any kind of fish twice a week has been linked with health benefits. Fish that are a source of the health-promoting omega-3 fats include salmon, Atlantic mackerel, seabass, rainbow trout, albacore tuna, herring and sardines.



Reprinted from AICR.org with permission