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.
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