The Benefits of Eating Fish

How much fish do you eat?

The Dietary Guidelines and American Heart Association recommend consuming two servings of fish per week for healthy adults, emphasizing fish high in omega-3s like salmon and mackerel. Yet, most Americans fall short of this goal. 

Let’s take a walk through the recommendations when it comes to fish, learn the nutritional benefits, and uncover a few ways to add more fish to your diet. 

Recommendations for fish consumption 

For healthy adults, the current recommendation is to eat 2 servings of fish per week, particularly fatty fish. But what is a serving? 

According to the Dietary Guidelines, one serving for adults is 4 ounces. 

Focus on fatty fish 

As we’ve mentioned, fatty fish are an excellent source of essential omega-3 fatty acids (more on that in just a moment). Examples of these fatty fish include: 

• Salmon 
• Mackerel 
• Herring
• Lake trout 
• Sardines
• Albacore tuna 

Health benefits of fish 

So what makes fish so healthy, anyway? For starters, they’re one of the few dietary sources of vitamin D. They’re also a good source of healthy fats and protein. 

Omega-3’s 

Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of fat that our bodies need but can’t make on their own, which is why they’re called “essential” fats. 

There are three main types of omega-3s that you may have heard of:

• ALA (alpha-linolenic acid): found mostly in plant-based foods like nuts, seeds, and oils, it’s primarily used for energy but can be converted into DHA and EPA; however, the process is quite inefficient. 
• DHA (docosahexaenoic acid): frequently found in fish and algae, it helps reduce chronic inflammation, may decrease the risk of several chronic diseases, and has been shown to be important for brain health. 
• EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid): also found in fatty fish as well as meat, eggs, and dairy from grass-fed animals. EPA is a key structural component of your eyes, skin, and brain and is incredibly important for fetal and child development. As we age, EPA has also been linked with protection against cognitive decline and heart disease. 

So, as important as eating flax seeds and other sources of ALA is, it’s also essential that we’re getting enough DHA and EPA as well. 

One great way to do that is by eating fish. General recommendations for omega-3 intake is 250–500 mg of DHA and EPA combined per day for healthy adults. 

This goal can be easily met by eating 2 servings of fish that are high in omega-3s. Here’s approximately how much omega-3s you’ll get from these fatty fish:

• 4,107 mg in 3.5 ounces of mackerel 
• 4,123 mg in 3.5 ounces of salmon 
• 2,205 mg in 3.5 ounces of sardines
• 946 mg in 3.5 ounces of smoked herring 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a vitamin that many of us don’t get enough of.

While we can get it through sun exposure, there are concerns about how much UV exposure our skin is getting. As a result, it’s recommended to try to get enough vitamin D through food or supplements. 

This vitamin has several important functions, including helping with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus (therefore key for bone health) and supporting a healthy immune system. Additionally, it may play a role in brain health. 

Salmon, herring, sardines, and canned tuna are all excellent sources of vitamin D, with one serving of salmon providing 100% of your daily needs and other fatty fish providing at least 50%. 

Lean Protein 

Another benefit of fish? It’s high in protein yet low in saturated fat. 

While the amount of protein varies by fish, in general, you’ll get about 16-26 grams of protein per 3-ounces cooked. To put that in perspective, 3 ounces of chicken provides about 23 grams.

You can find out more about protein, why it’s important, and how much we need per day in our previous article here.

But briefly, protein is essential for our immune system, building and repairing muscle, providing structure to our hair, nails, skin, and so much more. Protein also helps keep us fuller for longer. 

To keep fish low in saturated fat, opt for baked, grilled, broiled, or stir-fried fish rather than deep-fried. 

What to look for when buying fish 

Okay, enough nutrition. Let’s get on to the food! 

If you’re new to buying fish, there are a few tips for getting good quality. 

It’s important to know that most fish you’ll find at the grocery store is frozen so that it can be transported from the boat to the store. But what about fish from the fish counter? It’s frozen fish that’s been thawed. 

As a result, make sure to use fish from the fish counter as soon as possible. Otherwise, if you’re not sure when you’ll be eating it, go with frozen fish filets instead. 

Here are a few additional things to look for:

• When buying a whole fish, look for ones with shiny scales, clear eyes, and red (not brown) gills. 
• For white fish filets, the meat should be slightly translucent with a pinkish tint.
• Fish filets should look dense, and if wrapped in plastic, there shouldn’t be any liquid. 
• If frozen, make sure there are no ice crystals or white spots indicating freezer burn. 

Looking for recipe inspiration? Cooking Light has a list of quick and easy fish recipes to get you started! 

The bottom line 

Fish is an excellent source of essential omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and lean protein. It’s also a great way to change up the typical routine of chicken or turkey.

You can log your fish intake using the Lose It! app to see how eating more fish can fit into your health goals! 

Edited by: Anna Smith, MS, RDN, LDN

Do you regularly eat fish? Share your favorite recipes and tips for preparing it in the comments!