Thomas Jefferson University Hospital - For Cardiac Health, Resolve to Eat More Fish

For Cardiac Health, Resolve to Eat More Fish

New study provides another reason to bite into baked, grilled or poached fish

For older adults, eating fish helps the heart by regulating its electrical activity, according to a report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC). And just a couple of meals a week of the right kind of fish will do the trick.

“The study’s findings suggest that consuming fatty fish is associated with a lower risk of abnormal heart rhythms and sudden death,” says Jefferson cardiologist David H. Wiener, MD, FACC, Director of Clinical Operations, Jefferson Heart Institute, and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.

But Dr. Wiener is quick to note that this study is one of many that have long demonstrated the importance of consuming fish – not only for older adults, but also for people of all ages.

For instance, a study of middle-aged men in the Netherlands published in 1985 found that during 20 years of follow-up, those who ate more fish were less likely to die from coronary disease. What’s more, the authors concluded that consuming as little as one to two fish dishes per week was protective.

Similar results were found in the 30-year follow-up of middle-aged men in the Chicago Western Electric Study, and in the Nurses’ Health Study, which followed over 84,000 women over 16 years.

“Several other studies have also come to the same conclusion for men and women of all ages,” Dr. Wiener explains. “While not every study has been able to prove that fish consumption reduces coronary disease, the weight of the evidence favors that conclusion.”

At least twice a week
Dr. Wiener endorses the American Heart Association (AHA)’s recommendation that each person should consume fish at least twice a week as part of a healthy diet. When incorporating more fish into your diet, Dr. Wiener encourages eating oily fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the best choices: salmon, trout and herring.

“Of course, the method of preparation is also critical,” he explains. “Limit your consumption of commercially fried fish, and choose grilled, baked or poached dishes instead. Just as important, refrain from preparing fish with saturated and trans fats or with cream sauces.”

(The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that children and pregnant women consume up to 12 ounces per week of canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish while avoiding those fish with the highest potential for mercury contamination, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish.)

Dr. Wiener notes some other sources of omega-3 fatty acids as well. Among them: vegetable oils such as canola and soybean oils, flaxseed and walnut oils, and, to a lesser extent, olive oil. Another beneficial polyunsaturated fatty acid, omega-6, can be found in safflower, sunflower and corn oils.

“I recommend substituting one of the oils containing omega-3 or omega-6 for existing sources of cholesterol and saturated and trans fats,” says Dr. Wiener. “Just remember to minimize the amount of fats of your diet, keeping them to less than seven percent of your total daily calories.”

In addition, Dr. Wiener encourages individuals to follow the AHA’s other heart-health guidelines: “Consuming fish is important but only one part of maintaining your cardiac health. It’s also important to follow the AHA’s other diet and lifestyle recommendations.”

Those recommendations include consuming an overall healthy diet, aiming for a healthy body weight, being physically active, choosing whole-grain, high-fiber foods, minimizing intake of food and beverages with added sugars, choosing and preparing foods with little or no salt, consuming alcohol in moderation and following those recommendations even when eating outside the home.

Recipes and other tips
Some fast, easy and delicious recipes for preparing fish are included in this issue’s HeartCARE Recipes. For more information about the cardiac benefits of eating fish – and for other diet and lifestyle recommendations – visit the American Heart Association.

To schedule an appointment with a Jefferson cardiologist, call 1-800-JEFF-NOW . Regardless of your needs, including location, types of insurance accepted, and particular expertise, JEFF NOW will help you find the doctor that’s right for you and get you an appointment quickly and easily.