Eating more wild fish might be one of the best things you can do for your health, and particularly your heart! As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I'm excited to share what research tells us about eating more seafood and lowering our risk of heart disease.
Science Made Simple
There are so many studies looking at seafood and health, but a major 2020 meta-analysis published in Nutrients examined over 2 million people and found something remarkable: people who ate more fish had a significantly lower risk of heart disease. The researchers discovered that for every 20 grams of fish eaten daily (about 3/4 ounce), there was a 4% reduction in both heart disease occurrence and related deaths.
What Makes Fish So Special?
Wild fish like salmon, sablefish (black cod), and tuna are particularly beneficial because they contain a powerful combo of 4 key nutrients:
- Omega-3 fatty acids (healthy fats that fight inflammation)
- High-quality protein (important for your muscles and longevity)
- Vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin and hormone-like vitamin)
- Selenium (a powerful antioxidant and mercury binder)
As researchers explain: "N-3 LCPUFAs (omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids) have anti-inflammatory and triglyceride lowering effects, and also might have vasodilator, anti-arrhythmia, and anti-hypertension effects." In simpler terms, these fats in wild fish help keep your heart beating steadily, maintain healthy blood vessels, reduce inflammation in your body, help manage your blood pressure, and lower unhealthy fats in your blood. All good stuff!
The Power of Whole Fish
An important finding from research states: "eating fish may be more beneficial than supplementing with n-3 fatty acids alone." This means eating actual fish provides more benefits than just taking fish oil supplements. It's the complete package of nutrients all working together in whole food that makes eating wild fish so beneficial for heart health.
How Much Fish Do We Need?
Eating fish at least twice a week is optimal for heart disease prevention. Wild-caught varieties of fish like any Alaskan salmon, wild sablefish, also known as black cod, and wild sustainably caught albacore tuna are all great sources of omega-3 fatty acids (as well as protein and other nutrients!)
Increasing fish intake is a science-backed strategy for better heart health, and sometimes the simplest changes can have the biggest impact on our health.
References:
The primary findings discussed in this article come from two major studies: A 2020 meta-analysis published in Nutrients titled "Fish Consumption and Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis" by Zhang et al., which analyzed 40 prospective cohort studies involving over 2 million participants. Additionally, key insights were drawn from a 2019 study published in The BMJ titled "Risks of ischaemic heart disease and stroke in meat eaters, fish eaters, and vegetarians over 18 years of follow-up: results from the prospective EPIC-Oxford study" which followed 48,188 participants over 18 years.