Alpha and the omega: Nutritional benefits of fish consumption

A growing body of literature demonstrates that consuming even modest amounts of fish may protect against heart disease and stroke, and may have important benefits for pre- and post-natal cognitive development. The federal government and American Heart Association both note that eating two servings of fatty fish per week may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in healthy people and the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease in people who have already experienced a cardiac event. At present, Americans fall short of these consumption levels, averaging only five ounces of fish per week. The greatest cardiovascular benefits are greatest from consuming fish high in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, namely small oily fish (e.g. mackerel, herring) and larger predatory fish (e.g. salmon, certain tuna). By contrast, terrestrial sources of omega-3s contain primarily the shorter chain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which may not be as beneficial. In short, consuming fish, fish oil, or products enriched with fish oil is currently the only way to add substantial quantities of key heart-healthy omega-3s to the diets of most Americans