Omega -3 fats deliver Oh Mega benefits
Cut your risks for heart disease and promote healthy brain growth and eye sight in your children by eating at least two Food Guide Servings of omega-3 rich fatty fish a week such as salmon, mackerel and herring. Minimize your worries about mercury by choosing the right fish. Stuck for ideas for eating fish? We’ve got you covered there too.
Know your Omega-3’s
Research indicates that omega-3 fatty acids can help prevent heart disease, lower triglycerides and reduce inflammation. These essential fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be particularly important in normal brain and eye development.
There are 3 types of omega-3 fats: DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) and EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid). DHA and EPA are most readily used by your body. Canadians on average get about half of what they need or even less. Here’s how you can boost your intake.
Get the DHA and EPA omega-3’s
- Go for seafood. Enjoy fresh, frozen or canned fatty fish such as salmon, rainbow trout, anchovies, sardines, mackerel, herring and “light” tuna made from skipjack, yellowfin or tongol – all known to be low in mercury.
- Check the labels for foods such as soy beverages, milk, yogurts, cheese, eggs, pasta and breads that claim to have omega-3’s. Choose ones with added EPA and DHA. If it says flax seed, flax seed oil, walnuts, or canola oil it’s not EPA or DHA.
- Fish oil supplements may be the way to go if you are vegetarian or really won’t eat fish a couple times a week. Always check first with your doctor.
Minimize the mercury
Eating fish provides more benefits than harm. However, we should all limit our exposure to mercury, especially women who may become pregnant, are pregnant or breastfeeding and kids, since we know mercury is harmful to a child’s developing brain.
Limit fresh/frozen:
- Tuna
- Shark
- Swordfish
- Marlin
- Orange roughy
- Escolar
If you like these fish, eat no more than the amounts shown here and make up the rest of your weekly fish servings from other fish.
| General Population |
Women who are or may become pregnant and nursing moms |
Children 5-11 years old |
Children 1-4 years old |
| 150 g per week |
150 g per month |
125 g per month |
75 g per month |
Choose “light” tuna (skipjack, yellowfin or tongol). It has less mercury than “white” tuna (albacore, bluefin) tuna and is generally less expensive.
DHA is critical for brain development
DHA is important in the mother’s diet in the last three months of pregnancy and in the baby’s diet during the first two years of life, for normal brain and eye development.
9 Great ways to make fish delish!
So you say you don’t like fish? It’s more likely you just haven’t yet found the perfect recipe! Keep experimenting with new ideas like these ones:
- Wrap leftover fish into a burrito with chopped romaine lettuce, a sprinkle of grated cheese and a little mayo mixed with relish.
- Use canned salmon to make a quick salmon quiche for dinner. Remember to mash the bones.
- Make salmon cakes with leftover salmon and mashed sweet potato. Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce.
- Try this twist on tuna salad. Add sliced grapes, diced apples with the peel and walnuts for extra crunch. It’s gourmet tuna salad.
- Grill your salmon for an ultra easy and fast meal. Try teriyaki, orange-ginger, or lemon-dill for seasoning inspiration.
- Encourage the kids to eat salmon by spreading salmon salad over whole grain crackers for a snack.
- Try broiling rainbow trout with a little lemon and garlic.
- Make some mouth watering seafood chowder and serve with a variety of different breads. Use frozen fish fillets to save time.
- Try adding canned salmon or tuna to macaroni and cheese for a quick kid friendly meal.
How much fish should I eat?
Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide recommends we all have at least two Food Guide Servings of fish a week. That’s 150 grams, 5 oz, or one cup cooked fish a week. Try to choose fish higher in omega -3 fatty acids more often such as: salmon, herring, char, Atlantic mackerel and rainbow trout. These fish also tend to be low in mercury too. Getting your two servings is easy. Enjoy a salmon sandwich for lunch one day and tuna casserole for dinner one night.
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