Fish could be considered a staple food from a seafood family. It consists of several nutrients and minerals which could fulfill your requirements that consuming cereals could lag.
Consuming fish may also enhance your overall body function. Along with this, it also consists of several other benefits.
In this article, we have discussed those benefits that could help you in maintaining your body.
Benefits Of Eating Fish
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Consists Of Essential Minerals
Considering fish in the diet and consuming it every day may help you by fulfilling the requirement[1] of several minerals.
Fish as food is rich in calcium and magnesium. It also consists of iron, zinc, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, etc. These could play a major role in improving your bone health.
Along with this, fish consumption may also help you in maintaining your heart health. These minerals in fish could help you in enhancing muscle and nerve function.
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Maintains A Good Heart Health
Fish is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids. These acids may help you in maintaining your heart rhythm.
As a result, you could be away from sudden cardiac complications, as per this study[2].
It also consists of certain vitamins such as vitamin D and vitamin B2. These could help you with the breaking down of protein and carbohydrates consumed with your meal.
Fish is also considered a prominent[3] source of protein. It could provide your body with the required amount of protein and may promote your overall function.
Protein may also enhance your growth and cell production.
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May Decrease The Risk Of Becoming Obese
Fish consists of a significant amount of omega-3 fatty acids. This may help you in maintaining your satiety. It could also play a major role in reducing[4] your cravings for food.
Along with this, Omega-3 fatty acids may trigger your leptin levels which in turn could signal your brain about the fat cells is now full.
As a result, you may reduce your overall food consumption. Fish also contains fewer amounts of calories and are high in protein.
This may further help in reducing your carbohydrate consumption which could prevent weight gain.
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May Decrease The Risk Of Cancer
Nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids present in fish may help you in dealing with cancer complications. This could also maintain the production of affected cells.
As a result, it may reduce the risk[5] of cancer. Considering fish for consumption in every meal could help you by protecting you from gastrointestinal and liver cancers.
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May Enhance Bone Health
Consuming fish in a meal during your developing age and also in old age. This may play a major role in enhancing your bone health.
Fish consists of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and high levels of protein. This could be favorable for maintaining your bone health.
Along with this, fish consumption may help you in dealing with defects[6] of bone such as osteoporosis. This could also enhance your bone strength.
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May Enhance Brain Health
Fish is also considered a Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) rich food. The regular consumption of fish in your meals for a long time may improve your brain health.
DHA in fish could play a major role in maintaining[7] your overall brain function. This may also improve your cognitive development.
Along with this, Omega-3 fatty acids in fish could provide your brain with enhanced levels of oxygen. As a result, this may also improve the secretion of neurotransmitters.
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May Improve Sleep Quality
Fish is considered a significant source of vitamin D and also consists of omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients could trigger neurotransmitters responsible[8] for sleeping.
Considering fish in your diet and consuming regularly may enhance your serotonin levels in the brain. As a result, you could experience non-rapid-eye movement (n-REM) sleep.
As a result, you may get into a deep sleep during the night. This could also help in maintaining[9] your energy during the day as you would be well rested.
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May Improve Skeletal Muscle Mass
Fish is considered in low fat and high protein diet. The regular consumption of fish in your meals may enhance your muscle quality.
Protein consumption could improve your muscle repairing[10] process in between intervals while you are hitting the gym regularly.
Consuming fish may also help you in dealing with muscle soreness and inflammation. It could strengthen and reduce tendon inflammation that joins skeletal muscles in your body.
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May Enhance Immune Function
Fish consists of several immunoregulatory properties. This may enhance your overall immune function. It could enhance[11] your ability to drive away from illness.
This also consists of melatonin, taurine, and polyamine. It could play a major role in regulating cell development. This may further destroy the infected cells.
As a result, you could be away from certain harmful infections that may have been fatal to your overall body function.
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May Reduce Depression Risks
Fish consists of certain fatty acids such as omega-3 fatty acids. They are considered natural[12] antidepressants. It may help you in reducing your overall depression effects.
Omega-3 fatty acids such as Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may help in maintaining your healthy brain function.
Further, it may reduce your cortisol levels. Resulting in a reduction in stress levels and further could reduce the depression risk.
Along with this, fish consists of healthy forms of fat which may reduce your depressive disorders.
Conclusion
As I conclude here, regular consumption of fish may help you in maintaining your overall body function. This could also enhance your cognitive function.
Considering fish in your diet could be helpful as it is easy to cook. In no time you may get a significant amount of nutrients and minerals required for your body.
As a result, fish may provide you with enhanced levels of energy and positive change through the course of its consumption in your diet.
References/Sources
Working4Health prefers using primary and verified references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and our primary references include peer-reviewed research, academic, and medical institution studies.
- Santosh P. Lall and Sadasivam J. Kaushik. Nutrition and Metabolism of Minerals in Fish. Animals (Basel). 2021 Sep; 11(9): 2711. Published online 2021 Sep 16. doi: 10.3390/ani11092711
- Soumia Peter, Sandeep Chopra, and Jubbin J. Jacob A fish a day, keeps the cardiologist away! – A review of the effect of omega-3 fatty acids in the cardiovascular system Indian J Endocrinol Metab. 2013 May-Jun; 17(3): 422–429. doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.111630
- Christine Tørris, Milada Cvancarova Småstuen and Marianne Molin. Nutrients in Fish and Possible Associations with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Metabolic Syndrome. Nutrients. 2018 Jul; 10(7): 952. Published online 2018 Jul 23. doi: 10.3390/nu10070952
- Bjørn Liaset, Jannike Øyen, Hélène Jacques, et al. Seafood intake and the development of obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Nutr Res Rev. 2019 Jun; 32(1): 146–167. doi: 10.1017/S0954422418000240
- Xiao-Feng Yu, Jian Zou, and Jie Dong. Fish consumption and risk of gastrointestinal cancers: A meta-analysis of cohort studies. World J Gastroenterol. 2014 Nov 7; 20(41): 15398–15412. Published online 2014 Nov 7. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i41.15398
- Eunjin Choi and Youngsoon Park. The Association between the Consumption of Fish/Shellfish and the Risk of Osteoporosis in Men and Postmenopausal Women Aged 50 Years or Older. Nutrients. 2016 Mar; 8(3): 113. Published online 2016 Feb 25. doi: 10.3390/nu8030113
- Keisuke Kokubun, Kiyotaka Nemoto, and Yoshinori Yamakawa. Fish Intake May Affect Brain Structure and Improve Cognitive Ability in Healthy People. Front Aging Neurosci. 2020; 12: 76. Published online 2020 Mar 20. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00076
- Anita L. Hansen, Lisbeth Dahl, Gina Olson, et al. Fish Consumption, Sleep, Daily Functioning, and Heart Rate Variability. J Clin Sleep Med. 2014 May 15; 10(5): 567–575. Published online 2014 May 15. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.371
- Michael J. Patan, David O. Kennedy, Cathrine Husberg, et al. Differential Effects of DHA- and EPA-Rich Oils on Sleep in Healthy Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2021 Jan; 13(1): 248. Published online 2021 Jan 16. doi: 10.3390/nu13010248
- Maha H. Alhussain and Moodi Mathel ALshammari. Association Between Fish Consumption and Muscle Mass and Function in Middle-Age and Older Adults. Front Nutr. 2021; 8: 746880. Published online 2021 Dec 13. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.746880
- Carlos O. Mendivil. Dietary Fish, Fish Nutrients, and Immune Function: A Review. Front Nutr. 2020; 7: 617652. Published online 2021 Jan 20. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2020.617652
- Fang Li, Xiaoqin Liu, and Dongfeng Zhang. Fish consumption and risk of depression: a meta-analysis. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2016 Mar;70(3):299-304. doi: 10.1136/jech-2015-206278. Epub 2015 Sep 10. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26359502/
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Alisha Matthew has been a practicing nutritionist since 2016. She holds a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of IOWA. She is a staunch believer in improving the human health index by educating people about nutrition and the importance of nutrition in leading a healthy and happy life. Her long-term goal is to keep educating people on general health and keep herself updated with the latest trends in the field of health.