Omega-3 fatty acids are ‘healthy’ fats, which protect the body against heart disease. They do this by helping the heart beat more regularly; reducing the ‘stickiness’ of the blood, therefore making it less likely to clot; and protecting the arteries from damage. They also help to maintain healthy joints.

How much omega-3s do you need?

To help prevent heart disease, aim for 1 serving of oily fish, and 1 serving of white fish per week. A serving is roughly 100g (4 oz) of fresh, frozen or smoked fish, or 1 small tin of canned fish.

Fish high in omega-3s

The highest sources have been listed first, for example, fresh salmon has a higher content of omega-3s than tinned salmon.

• Mackerel (fresh or frozen)
• Kippers (fresh or frozen)
• Pilchards (canned in tomato sauce)
• Tuna (fresh or frozen)
• Trout (fresh or frozen)
• Mackerel (canned in tomato sauce or brine)
• Salmon (fresh or frozen)
• Sardines (canned in tomato sauce)
• Herring (fresh or frozen)
• Salmon (canned in brine)
• Tuna (canned in oil)
• Crab (canned in brine)
• Cod (fresh or frozen)
• Haddock (fresh or frozen)
• Tuna (canned in brine or water)

Cooking method

To preserve as much omega-3 fatty acids as possible, steaming is the best cooking method, however grilled, baked or canned oily fish are also valuable sources of omega-3s.

A few ‘fishy’ ideas:

• Canned salmon in low fat salad cream, served with multi-seed bread and salad.
• Mackerel with chopped cucumber and lime juice dressing, served with spiced couscous.
• Canned sardines with mixed bean salad and tossed leaves.
• Tuna and sweetcorn served with a jacket potato.
• Stir-fried salmon with noodles and mixed vegetables.

Never want to miss a single article on Dietriffic again? You can stay in touch for free by subscribing to my most recent articles via email or RSS feeds.