Issue date: 2/25/08 Section: Money/Health

Media Credit: MCT

When freshman Amber Court was eight years old, her mom cooked fish for dinner once a week.

"I didn't like it because it tasted so bland," she said.

At 18, when she went to Mexico for a study abroad program, her host family cooked fish every night. They took her to restaurants by the riverside where they caught fish to have it freshly prepared.

Court said it was only a few weeks before she started to like fish.

"Now I eat fish at least once a week," she said. "Especially salmon, as it's healthy."

According to the International Food Information Council, eating seafood is one way to improve diet and overall health.

Anne Bauch, registered dietitian at Midelfort Clinic Clairemont Campus, 733 W. Clairemont Ave., said she recommends eating coldwater fish, such as salmon, tuna and rainbow trout, at least two times a week.

"The reason we encourage people to eat these is because they are high in omega-3," she said.

A study by the University of Maryland Medical Center reported that fish is the richest source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are considered to be essential nutrients the body cannot produce on its own. These fatty acids help with brain function, normal growth and development, as well as treat heart disease and problems that contribute to it.

The study also mentioned that omega-3 can treat high cholesterol, as fish oil supplements contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which reduce levels of lipoprotein, bad cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. This can help lower the risk of heart disease.

Bauch said omega-3 fatty acids help prevent heart disease.

"This is because fish oil contains DHA and EPA," she said. "Those are associated to lower cardiovascular disease. Other ways people can incorporate these supplements are with canola oil or soybeans."

But eating fish won't necessarily lower cholesterol levels, Bauch said.

"Fish oil is used to promote heart health," she said. "It doen't necessarily change cholesterol (levels), but it lowers their triglycerides."

Triglycerides, she said, are fatty particles that circulate in the body system and contribute to the production of low-density lipoprotein (bad cholesterol), which leads to the building up of plaques in arteries, she said.

The Maryland study reported that consuming three or more grams of fish oil a day could lead to a significant reduction in blood pressure in people with untreated hypertension.

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