OILY FISH

WELCOME Each month our nutritionist

Gary Baverstock provides some basic science and unbiased information, to

help demystify certain popular foods in our diet.

Wild vs. Farmed● Wildsalmon,inexamplecontainsmoreminerals,butfarmedsalmonishigher invitaminC,saturatedfat,omega3fatsandcalories-farmingproducesa fattierfish.

Main Health Benefits (concerned with Omega 3 Fats) ● Reducetheriskofheartandcirculatorydiseasebydecreasingthethicknessof thebloodandloweringbloodlevelsoftriglycerides.● Helpwithchildhoodbehaviourandacademicperformance,aswellasfocus, attentionandreducingaggression,especiallyinchildrenwithdevelopmental problems.● LowEPAlevelscorrelatesstronglywithdevelopmentofmentalhealthissues, includingdepression,dyslexiaanddyspraxia-omega-3smayhelpprotect againstcognitivedecline,Alzheimer’sdiseaseanddementia.● Adiethighinomega-3lowersinflammation,akeycomponentinIBD,asthma andmusculoskeletalconditions,aswellasneurodegenerativediseasessuchas MSandParkinson’s.● DHAisamajorpartoftheeyeandretinaandhasbeenlinkedtopooreyehealth andareducedriskofmaculardegeneration.● Omega-3scanimprovethemetabolicsyndrome-centralobesity,highblood pressure,insulinresistance,hightriglyceridesandlowHDLlevels-astheycan reduceinsulinresistance,fightinflammationandimproveseveralheartdisease riskfactors.● Omega-3fattyacidscanhelpfightseveralautoimmunediseases,includingtype 1diabetes,rheumatoidarthritis,ulcerativecolitis,Crohn’sdiseaseandpsoriasis, bysupportingtheimmunesystem.● Omega-3scanhelpkeepskincellshealthy,preventingprematureagingand more.Theymayalsohelpprotecttheskinfromsundamage.

Health Problems (generally from higher dose supplements, not from eating whole fish) ● Potentialmercury/dioxintoxicity–especiallyinpregnancy–thereasonforonly 1-2portionsperweek.● DHAcandecreasebloodpressure,meaningtakingDHAalongwithmedications forhighbloodpressuremightcauseyourbloodpressuretogotoolow.● DHAcaninteractwithmedicationsthatslowbloodclotting(Anticoagulant/ Antiplateletdrugs).

TheBottomLine:Oilyfishshouldbeavitalpartofyourdiet–theirstructuralroleandtheirhealthbenefitsareimpossibletoignore.Theyprovidestaggeringlevelsofothernutrients,notjustomega3fats.Ifyouwanttoimprovethehealthofyoureyes,heart,brainandskin,reduceinflammationandtoimprovementalhealth,yourcirculatorysystem,andanymusculoskeletalissues,etc,thentheseareforyou.Apartfromthat,oilyfishprovidegreatflavourandtexture.Tooptimiseyourbody’ssupplyofEPAandDHA,aimtoeatoilyfishatleastthreetimesaweek.Ifyoucan’t/don’twanttoeatfish,thensupplementthisessentialnutrient(daily)fromagoodqualitysupplementcompany.

Oily Fish● Oilyfishhaveoilintheirtissuesandinthebellycavityaroundthegut,inwhite fishitisonlyintheliver.● Theirfilletscontainupto30%oil,althoughthisfigurevariesbetweenspecies.● Themaintypesaresardines,herring,anchovies,salmon,trout,tuna(fresh)and mackerel.● Marinealgaeandphytoplanktonarealsoprimarysourcesofomega-3fatty acids.● TheEuropeanFoodSafetyAuthority’sadultrequirementsare250mgof EPA+DHAcombined/day.● TheBritishNutritionFoundation’sadultrequirementsare1-2portionsofoily fish/week–providing2-3gomega3fatsoraweeklyintakeof1.5gEPA+DHA combined(214mg/day).● IntheUSAsomeorganisationsdoublethisfigure,althoughtherearenoset worldwideguidelines.● Oilyfishareknowntocarryhigherlevelsofcontaminants(suchasmercury ordioxin)althoughitisthoughtthattheirhigherlevelsofseleniumcandeal withthis.Smalleroilyfishhavelesscontaminants.

Omega 3 (Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids [PUFAs])● Omega-3fattyacids(ω-3 fatty acids, n-3 fatty acids, essential fatty acids [EFAs])are unsaturatedfatswithadoublebond(C=C)atthe thirdcarbonatomfromtheomegaendofthe carbonchain.● Thefattyacidshavetwoends,acarboxylicAcid (-COOH)end,whichisconsideredthe beginningofthechain(alpha),andthemethyl (CH3)end,whichisconsideredthe“tail”ofthe chain(omega).● Thethreetypesofomega-3fattyacidsinvolved inhumanphysiologyareα-linolenicacid(ALA) (foundinplantoils),EicosapentanoicAcid[EPA] andDocosahexanoicAcid[DHA](foundin marineoils).

DHA● DHAisaprimarystructuralcomponentofthehumanbrain(40%),cellular membranes,CNS,cerebralcortex,skin,sperm,testiclesandretina(60%)andis alsoakeycomponentofthecardiovascularsystem.● DHAiscertainlytransferredacrosstheplacentatothefoetusduring pregnancyandisalwayspresentinhumanmilk.● InfantsneedDHAinthefirst6months,sotheirbrains,eyes,andnervous systemsdevelopproperly.● Itslargesizemeansthatitcancreatefluidmembranesineverycell,including inthebrain,meaninggreatercommunicationbetweennervecells.

EPA● EPAispresentinsmallerquantities,asitisalwaysunderconstantdemand andutilisedastheprecursortoDHA,prostaglandin-3,thromboxane-3(that inhibitbloodclottingandcontrolinflammation).● Italsoprovidesleukotriene-5‘aneicosanoid’thatexertscomplexcontrolsover manybodilysystems,suchasgrowth,inflammation,orimmunity,andas messengersintheCNS.● EPAalsoprotectsourgenesandcellcycle,aswellashelpingtokeepour stressresponseregulated.● EPAisaninhibitoroftheenzymedelta-5-desaturasethatproduces ArachadonicAcid(omega6fattyacid),whichcanturnintoaninflammatory fatwithdevastatingeffectsinthebody.

NutritionalvaluesofselectedOilyFish

Basedon100gValuesofRawFarmedAtlanticfish.Source:nutritiondata.com/sodiumx2.5=Saltquantity

General Nutrition of Oily Fish

Salmon● ItisanexcellentsourceofvitaminsB12andD,andEFAs(862mg EPA and 1104mg DHA/100g)andseleniumandagoodsourceofprotein,phosphorus, andvitaminsB3,B6,B5,choline,biotin,andpotassium.● Thesenutrientshelpsupportbloodcells,energy,growth,repair,immunity,liver andnervefunction,boneandcardiovascularhealth,andfreeradicaldamage.

Mackerel ● Itisaverygoodsourceofprotein,vitaminsDandB3,B12,selenium,EFAs (898mg EPA and 1401mg DHA/100g)andagoodsourceofmagnesium, phosphorus.● Thesenutrientshelpsupportenergy,growth,repair,immunity,boneand cardiovascularhealth,andfreeradicaldamage.

Anchovies ● Thisisaverygoodsourceofprotein,vitaminB3,seleniumandEFAs(538mg EPA and 911mg DHA/100g),andagoodsourceofB2,calcium,ironand phosphorus.● Thesenutrientshelpsupportrepair,immunity,energy,cognitivefunction, growth,boneandcardiovascularhealth,andfreeradicaldamage.

Sardines ● Thisisaverygoodsourceofprotein,calcium,vitaminsDandB12,phosphorus, seleniumandEFAs(473mg EPA and 509mg DHA/100g),andagoodsourceof vitaminB3andpotassium.● Thesenutrientshelpsupportenergy,growth,repair,immunity,muscle,boneand cardiovascularhealth,andfreeradicaldamage.

Herrings ● Thisisaverygoodsourceofprotein,vitaminsD,B12,seleniumandEFAs (709mg EPA and 862mg DHA/100g),andgoodsourceofphosphorus.● Thesenutrientshelpsupportgrowth,repair,immunity,boneandcardiovascular health,andfreeradicaldamage.

Tuna (Fresh only – not present in canned) ● Itisanexcellentsourceofprotein,vitaminsA,B3,B12,seleniumandEFAs (283mg EPA and 890mg DHA/100g),andagoodsourceofvitaminB1,B2,B6, D,potassium,iodine,magnesiumandphosphorus.● Thesenutrientshelpsupportcellularhealth,energy,growth,repair,immunity, thyroidfunction,skin,eye,brain,boneandcardiovascularhealth,andfree radicaldamage.

Cooking and Omega Fats● Gentlycooking(baking/boiling/steaming)tuna,asopposedtofryingor microwaving,preservesthegreatestamountofEPAandDHAfattyacids- fryingdestroysalotofthefats.

Oily Fish Calories Fat Saturates MUFA PUFA Omega 3 Omega 6 Cholesterol Protein Sodium

Salmon 208kcals 13g 3g 3.8g 3.9g 2506mg 982mg 55mg 20g 59mg

Mackerel 205kcals 14g 3g 5.5g 3.3g 2670mg 219mg 70mg 19g 90mg

Anchovies 131kcals 5g 1g 1.2g 1.6g 1478mg 97.0mg 60mg 20g 104mg

Sardines 208kcals 11g 2g 3.9g 5.1g 1480mg 3544mg 142mg 25g 505mg

Herrings 158kcals 9g 2g 3.7g 2.1g 1729mg 130mg 60mg 18g 90mg

Tuna (Fresh)

144kcals 1g 0g 1.6g 1.4g 1298mg 53.0mg 38mg 23g 39mg

Structure of Fats