Importance of a Fish Diet - also Nuts and Seeds
- Many people do not make varied choices from this food group, selecting meat or poultry
everyday as their main dishes. Varying choices and including fish, nuts, and seeds
in meals can boost intake of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated
fatty acids (PUFAs). Most fat in the diet should come from MUFAs and PUFAs. Some
of the PUFAs are essential for health—the body cannot create them from other fats.
- Some fish (such as salmon, trout, and herring) are high in a type of PUFA called
“omega-
3 fatty acids.” The omega- 3 fatty acids in fish are commonly called “EPA” and “DHA.” There is some limited evidence that suggests eating fish rich in EPA and DHA may reduce the risk for mortality from cardiovascular disease. (EPA is eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA is docosahexaeonoic acid.)
- Some nuts and seeds (flax, walnuts) are excellent sources of essential fatty acids, and some (sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts) are good sources of vitamin E.
Source: USDA, MyPyramid.gov
