Eating Fish Is Healthy
Eating fish is healthy
In this essay I will argue that eating fish is healthy. My main argument will be that fish contains a lot of vitamins, minerals and Omega-3 fatty acids.
Fish are best known as sources of the fat soluble vitamins A and D, though they can also provide significant amounts of some B vitamins. Seafood generally provides little or no vitamin C. The B vitamins are represented to varying extents, with the supply of thiamine, riboflavin and pyridoxine being the most significant nutritionally.
Also seafood is better known nutritionally for the dietary minerals they supply than for vitamins. This is because minerals such as iodine and selenium, which are supplied by seafood is not readily available at the same levels in many other non-marine foods. In general the balance between sodium and potassium is favourable in fish. Calcium levels are low in most seafood, though sprats, sardines and oysters are exceptions. Iron levels are also generally low, however iron is easily absorbed from white fish, and is therefore a useful dietary source.
Fish also contains the right type of fats, known as Omega 3 fatty acids, which are polyunsaturated fats that have a range of health benefits. In the human diet, omega 3 is a preferred substitute for Omega 6 fatty acids, the fats commonly found in other red meat and plants. The right balance between Omega 3 and Omega 6 acids also seems to be a factor in our getting the most health benefits.
The human body has evolved to run best on a mixture of Omega 3 and Omega 6 type polyunsaturated. While it can survive in the short term without either, long term optimal health requires that both be present in the diet. Research by the American Heart Association has shown that certain benefits of omega -3 fatty acids in the diet can help protect the heart. It also may reduce the incidence of the most common type of stroke.
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