If you're trying to lose weight and improve your diet, you should probably eat more fish. The American Heart Association recommends that you eat at least 2 servings of fish each week for improved heart health. But do you know what kind of fish to eat? If you're trying to lose weight, the fish you choose makes a big difference. There are some types of fish to avoid and other types of fish that are better for weight loss.
Fatty Fish for Weight Loss
Believe it or not, the best fish for weight loss and improved health is fatty fish. But not just any fatty fish. Certain types of fish contain an essential fatty acid called omega-3. This polyunsaturated fat provides your body with important health benefits.
Fish that contain omega-3 fats help to reduce your risk of heart disease.
According to the National Institutes of Health, studies show that people who eat seafood at least once per week are less likely to die of heart disease. Researchers also believe that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may help to reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and may even help to improve brain and eye health.
Of course, you can get essential omega-3 fatty acids by taking a supplement. But research has not been able to show that taking a supplement can provide the same benefits as eating omega-3 foods, like fish.
So if you're going to build a diet-friendly weight loss meal, why not choose a fish that provides a boost of good health as well? Eating higher fat fish may mean that you consume more calories in a single meal, but if you eat the fish in moderation and use good cooking methods to prepare the food, you may benefit in the long run.
Diet-Friendly Fish With Omega-3
The American Heart Association suggests that you eat fish varieties such as salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna to get your healthy dose of omega-3. But which sources are also lower in calories? Here's a run-down of some of the lower-calorie fish varieties:
- Salmon (3 ounces) 175 calories, 10 grams fat, 1.7 grams of omega-3 fatty acids
- Anchovies ( 3 ounces) 111 calories, 4 grams fat, 1.7 grams of omega-3 fatty acids
- Pacific and Jack Mackerel (3 ounces) 134 calories, 7 grams fat, 1.6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids
- Pacific Black Cod (3 ounces) 70 calories, 1 gram fat, 1.5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids
- Whitefish (3 ounces) 115 calories, 5 grams fat, 1.5 grams of omega-3 fatty acids
- Albacore Tuna (3 ounces packed in water) 109 calories, 3 grams fat, .7 grams of omega-3 fatty acids
- Atlantic Herring (3 ounces) 134 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1.4 grams of omega-3 fatty acids
The calorie counts listed are for the raw form of each omega-3-rich fish. The way that you prepare your fish will change the calorie count. Baked fish, grilled fish and broiled fish are usually lowest in calories.
The Worst Fish for Weight Loss
Even though eating fish can be good for you, not all fish is good for your diet. There are some times when skipping fish is the better diet choice, even if the fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids.
When fish is battered and fried it is usually full of saturated fat. These are fats that you should limit in your diet. Convenience products like breaded fish sticks, fish tenders and fish patties are often higher in fat and calories and don't provide as many health benefits as fish that is prepared using low calorie methods.
When you're trying to cut calories in a restaurant, be wary of fish dishes that can ruin your diet. It's usually best to skip the fish and chips and choose a grilled or roasted fish instead. Ask for the sauce to be put on the side to keep the fat and calorie count in control.
How to Eat More Fish to Lose Weight
If you're not used it, including fish in your diet might be hard at first. But the health benefits of eating omega-3 fish are clear. And when you're trying to lose weight, it's important to choose foods that are nutrient-dense. That means that they are foods that provide many nutritional benefits for fewer calories.
If you don't like fish alone, try adding it to a healthy salad. Or try making healthy fish tacos. You can add salmon to your morning omelet or even make a lean fish sandwich for lunch. You can use fish just like you would use any other diet-friendly protein, like chicken. Drizzle your fish with lemon or lime to give it a fresh and zesty flare. If you're creative and persistent, you'll get your two servings of fish per week along with all of the health and weight loss benefits that they provide.
Sources:
James J. DiNicolantonio, PharmD; James H. O'Keefe, MD; Carl J. Lavie, MD. "The Big Ones That Got Away: Omega-3 Meta-analysis Flawed by Excluding the Biggest Fish Oil Trials." Journal of the American Medical Association October 8, 2012.
Evangelos C. Rizos, MD, PhD; Evangelia E. Ntzani, MD, PhD; Eftychia Bika, MD; Michael S. Kostapanos, MD; Moses S. Elisaf, MD, PhD, FASA, FRSH. "Association Between Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation and Risk of Major Cardiovascular Disease Events A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis." Journal of the American Medical Association September 12, 2012.
Getting Healthy. Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. American Heart Association. Accessed: November 25, 2012. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Fish-and-Omega-3-Fatty-Acids_UCM_303248_Article.jsp
The University of Michigan. Fish and Seafood, Healing Foods Pyramid http://www.med.umich.edu/umim/food-pyramid/fish.html; Accessed October 26, 2015.
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