Not all fish are good for the heart – a study report!

Not all fish are good for the heart – study report!

Eating fish twice a week has been a widely accepted way to reduce the burden of coronary heart disease. Fish is a good source of omega 3 fatty acids and help to maintain the 4:1 ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids in diet. But a study in the Journal of American Dietetic Association (J Am Diet Assoc. 2008 Jul;108(7):1178-85.) has shown that two of the most widely farmed fish, tilapia and catfish may have an unfavourable omega 6 fatty acid content.

At the same time, trout and Atlantic salmon had higher omega 3 fatty acid content and low omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acid ratio. This has been attributed to the fact that wild fish feed on algae with high omega 3 content while farmed fish feed on commercial feed high in omega 6 fats. The beneficial long-chain omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid.