AHA (American Heart Association) recommended eating fish (particularly fatty fish) at least two times a week. Fish is a good source of protein and doesn’t have the high saturated fat that fatty meat products do. Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Omega-3 fatty acids benefit the heart of healthy people, and those at high risk of – or who have – cardiovascular disease. According to AHA, the ways that omega-3 fatty acids reduce CVD (Cardiovascular Disease) risk are still being studied. However, research has shown that they:

• Decrease risk of arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death
• Decrease triglyceride levels
• Decrease growth rate of atheroscleroticplaque
• Lower blood pressure (slightly)