How to include fish in your diet?

But ... lately, information has also circulated about the contaminants that fish may contain and that they would advise against its consumption in some situations. All this can lead to confusion and some fear regarding its consumption. We must remember that with the knowledge we have so far there is no reason to exclude fish from our diet unless we have an allergy or there is a medical cause that advises against it. On the contrary, since the consumption of fish continues to have many more points in favor than against.

Fish benefits

The health benefits of fish are many. It is a very nutritious food and recommended for all ages, there is a great variety so we can try different species and choose the ones we like the most. It also has a relatively low calorie content and is easy to digest.

Its proteins are of high biological value as they contain all the essential amino acids and its fats are considered heart-healthy as they contain unsaturated fatty acids. Its nutritional composition is interesting for the growth stages and also favors the prevention of certain pathologies. Let's highlight the main ones:

Light

Fish is a product with a important nutritional density since it is rich in vitamins, minerals, proteins and has an interesting lipid profile (especially in the case of oily fish). However, in most cases fish has a lower caloric content than meat, especially white fish with a lower fat content, which is why it is considered an ally in slimming diets.

Very nutritious

His wealth in proteins, polyunsaturated fats, fatty acids essential, (A, D and E, and the complex B -B1, B2, B3, B12), and minerals such as calcium (especially if consumed with spine) and iodine (to prevent goiter) make it a nutrient-rich food.

Digestive

Although in most cases protein foods are rather heavy foods for digestion, if we compare fish with meat it turns out that the former is easier to digest due to its lower collagen content. Thus, it is suitable to be introduced into the diet in easily digested diets or after having suffered a digestive problem. cardiovascular allied and anti-inflammatory properties: fish contains a good proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are also accompanied by antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamin E.

Among the fats in fish we find the famous omega-3 fatty acids with effects for the prevention and even improvement of cardiovascular risk factors. It is attributed the ability to increase HDL (good) cholesterol and decrease LDL (bad) and. Even from these fatty acids substances are generated in the body that can reduce the risk of thrombosis and hypertension and with anti-inflammatory effects that can also be positive at the muscular level.

Beneficial for bone health

The calcium content of the fish is not negligible and less so in the small fish that are eaten with thorn. Calcium, in addition to contributing to the formation and regeneration of bones and muscles, is involved in muscle contraction, in the transmission of the nerve impulse and in blood clotting.

Vital in growth stages

Due to its content of omega-3 fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals, fish is a very favorable food in stages of growth and development cell phone. In fact, omega-3 needs are increased during pregnancy due to the important role of these fatty acids in the development of the central nervous system, the retina, and cell membranes.

When should its consumption be limited?

It is true that in certain special cases we must advise limitations on its consumption. Are these:

• Hyperuricemia or gout: This disorder occurs when uric acid accumulates in the blood because the body produces too much acid, or it is not eliminated properly or too many foods rich in purines are ingested. There are also predisposing factors such as male gender, family history or alcohol intake. Finally, gout manifests as a form of arthritis that initially affects the big toe but can also attack the ankles, heels, knees, wrists, fingers, and elbows. People with should limit or avoid the consumption of foods rich in purines such as fatty meats, organ meats, shellfish and oily fish. Thus, while for the majority of the population an intake of oily fish equal to or greater than twice a week is recommended, in the case of people suffering from hyperuricemia, its consumption should be limited, taking it at most once or twice a week. .
• Pregnancy, lactation and very young children: methylmercury is a metal that is found in the environment and for a few years it has been warned that it can affect the food chain and, above certain levels, it can have toxic effects. At the moment, it is not considered that the amounts contained in any species can negatively affect the health of the general population, but it does warn of risks for people who are especially sensitive to the effects of this poison.

Pregnant women, infants and very young children are considered sensitive, in all of them due to the possible negative effect that methylmercury can have on the development of the central nervous system in the fetus and young children. Due to the ability of methylmercury to bind to fats and proteins, the foods that will have the greatest amounts are foods rich in these two components and that also live long enough to accumulate greater amounts of this product in your body. Precisely these two factors are fulfilled in some species of large blue fish. Thus, although pregnant women should consume oily fish at least twice a week as it provides omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial for the development of the central nervous system of the fetus, this intake should not be from certain species. According to the Catalan Food Safety Agency, this population group should avoid consuming large species of predatory fish such as emperor, swordfish, dogfish or bluefin tuna.

• Allergies: every day the number of allergy sufferers increases, including people with a fish allergy. Fish (and specifically its proteins) are one of the foods that causes the greatest number of allergies. The most common symptoms are mainly located in four points: at the respiratory level, which can cause rhinitis, asthma and laryngeal edema, on the skin causing hives, eyelid swelling, dermatitis ..., in the gastrointestinal system through nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain and at the level of the central nervous system causing migraines. In allergic people, the treatment consists of eliminating fish and derivatives from the diet.
• : Anisakis is a parasite that lives in the muscles and abdominal cavity of different species of fish such as hake, cod, tuna ..., in cephalopods such as squid, cuttlefish and octopus, and in crustaceans such as crab, lobster, etc. If we eat fish with live anisakis it can parasitize us, and in sensitive people an allergic response will be triggered that can aggravate the situation. In any case, it can cause gastric parasitization, with the consequent gastrointestinal symptoms, which in the worst case could migrate to other organs. The best way to avoid this risk is to freeze the fish at -20ºC for a minimum of 24 hours and / or cook the fish above 60ºC for at least 10 minutes. In this way, we get him to die.
• Histamine poisoning: histamine content increases due to keeping fish at high temperatures and / or unsanitary handling of the fish. Therefore, we can understand histamine as an indicator of poor freshness of fish. The symptoms of this poisoning are similar to those caused by an allergy to fish, but we should not confuse a specific poisoning with an allergy.

Eye! Be careful with the salt

There is no contraindication to the consumption of white or blue fish in the case of people suffering from hypertension. What we must bear in mind is that there are many canned fish and fish derivatives that contain a high salt content and that they should be avoided. Among these products we find: fish sticks, canned in glass or can, smoked, salted and even frozen. To avoid sodium intake above what is recommended, people with hypertension should check the labeling of preserved foods and derivatives.

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• It is healthy: it provides basic nutrients for health.
• It is advisable to take it ... between three and four times a week.
• Attention ... if you have allergies, in pregnancy and when taking it raw.