Eat fish to lower your risk of heart disease

Most of us know that food choices really can help you to live longer. But did you know how powerful eating fish can be for your health? In one study of nearly 4,000 older people, eating oily fish at least once a week was linked with a 44 per cent lower risk of dying from a heart attack. Other research shows that omega-3s offer increased protection against a second heart attack.

In one Spanish study, 40 men on a cardiac rehabilitation program were split into two groups. One consumed a dairy product supplemented with omega-3s and vitamins A and D; the other consumed milk with only vitamins A and D. Both groups also underwent a program of supervised exercise.

Over the following year, blood homocysteine, a marker of cardiovascular risk, decreased in both groups, but the omega-3 group also had reductions in other cardiovascular disease markers and blood cholesterol levels.

• Eating just two servings of oily fish a week can reduce your risk of heart disease by a third or more.
• And, because of the significant benefits of omega-3s, people who have had a heart attack are recommended to increase their intake to two to four portions weekly. (But it is advisable to eat no more than one portion a week of swordfish, shark or marlin, as they can contain high levels of mercury. Pregnant women or those trying to conceive should avoid them altogether.)
• To get the maximum benefit from omega-3s, poach, steam, bake or grill your oily fish, rather than frying it.
• If you don't like eating fish, consider taking one gram (1/4 tsp.) of fish oil supplement daily.
• In one four-and-a-half-year Japanese study of over 18,000 people, adding fish oil to cholesterol-lowering statin drug therapy after a heart attack reduced the risk of further major coronary events by around 20 per cent.

Oily fish are better sources of omega-3 fatty acids than white fish. Here are some popular types of fish rated according ot their quality as a source of omega-3s.

• Great sources: mackerel, pilchards, salmon (canned and fresh), sardines, sturgeon, trout, tuna (fresh)
• Moderate sources: bass, halibut, smoked salmon, sea bass
• Poor sources: cod, flounder, haddock, snapper, sole, tuna (canned)