12 Reasons to Hit Up the Sushi Bar Yet Again This Week

Photo credit: bigstock.com

We aren’t just talking about sushi, but fish in general. Although the last few years have not been good ones as far as fish are concerned, between the disaster at Fukushima and mercury contamination rates rising, but the truth is the benefits from eating fish far outweigh the risks of possible contamination.

The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics stated in their January issue of 2014 that fatty fish (like salmon and mackerel) are the healthiest sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The two major sources of omega-3 long chain fatty acids found in fish are EPA and DHA. These are essential fatty acids as our bodies do not make them, which means we need to consume them. Most people get their omega-3s from plant based sources such as walnuts or flax seeds. Although these are good sources, fish is a far better source. Our body only partially converts the ALA fatty acids in plants into EPA and DHA. Fish is the real deal. They are loaded with those omega-3s and our bodies can make full use of them.

What exactly can those omega-3s do for us? You won’t believe it! Keep reading and find out everything that little can of tuna can do for your health!

1. Protect Your Eyesight

As we age, a disease called macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness and vision impairment, can destroy our eyesight literally in the blink of an eye. There have been studies showing that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish can offer us protection from this terrible disease. One study showed that subjects who consumed fish had a 42 percent lower risk of developing macular degeneration in a study done with women. A second study found that eating fatty fish just once a week was connected to a 53 percent lower risk of developing macular degeneration. So eat some fish and protect your valuable eyesight!

2. Protect Your Heart

The two most common causes of death in the world are heart attacks and strokes. Eating fish can be one of the best things you can do to protect yourself from these two killers. Numerous large observational studies have shown that people who eat fish on a regular basis have much lower rates of strokes, heart attacks, and death from heart disease. One study involved more than 40,000 males in America who regularly consumed 1 or more servings of fish each week. This study found that these men had a 15 percent lower risk of developing heart disease. Studies also show that eating fatty fish is even more beneficial to the heart because of those omega-3s we talked about earlier.

3. Improve Your Sleep

Sleep disorders have become incredibly commonplace, not only in the US, but around the world. There are a variety of reasons for this, such as exposure to the blue light from cell phones and computers, a lack of vitamin D, and anxiety issues. Believe it or not, eating fish seems to help with sleep problems. One study involved 95 middle aged men. Over the 6 month study period, these men were instructed to eat salmon 3 times each week. All the subjects had improvements in their sleep quality as well as their daily functions. Although researchers believe this might be due to the vitamin D in salmon, they say it might also be from the omega-3s. Whichever is the culprit, eating fish a few times per week might lead you to sleep better at night. What do you have to lose besides some sleepless nights? Read more about the food that will help you sleep better.

Continue to Page 2