Can eating more fish prevent cardiovascular disease? Scientists teach you to eat fish correctly
Scientists often suggest that people can prevent cardiovascular disease by eating more fish. So, can eating more fish really prevent cardiovascular disease? How to eat to achieve the preventive effect?
As the saying goes, "Illnesses are caused by eating".
In fact, this principle perfectly "fits" most of the etiologies of cardiovascular diseases. This is because the body's organs and tissues need to maintain normal functions and cannot do without the nutrients and oxygen transported by the blood vessels, and the blood vessels themselves also need the support of nutrients. Therefore, in order to have soft, strong and unobstructed blood vessels, diet is essential. And learning to eat means learning to manage your blood vessels. The phrase "what you eat is what you eat" is also suitable for blood vessels.
image 1: The effect of high-fat and low-fat diets on cardiometabolic risk factors
The secret of Eskimo’s "longevity"
In the North Atlantic, the environment is harsh and a group of mysterious Eskimos live. There is snow and ice all year round, and there is no food and fruits. They live only by hunting and fishing, but they are very healthy. They are the people with the longest average life expectancy.
Why is that?
Back in the twentieth century, the Eskimos (ie Inuit) at that time were still a relatively primitive society, and they mainly depended on animal hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. However, an American study found that in the age group of 45 to 64, the rate of death of Eskimo male residents due to heart disease is 5.3%, while in the US the same age group eats a completely different diet. Among them, the rate of death due to coronary heart disease reached 40%. Countless scholars are amazed at this phenomenon of individual differences, but no one can find the answer2.
This mysterious phenomenon finally attracted the attention of American scientists. They wanted to figure out a question: Why the eskimos in Iceland can eat high-fat food as they are called, but have the lowest in the world. Cardiovascular mortality?
image 2: Eskimo
Finally, a study based on the Eskimo population in the late 1960s found that the incidence of myocardial infarction among the locals was very low, which was related to the unique diet of the locals. Eskimos take deep-sea fish as their main food, which contains a lot of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are necessary for the normal development and maintenance of the human body, and this molecule is closely related to human health.
Over the years, numerous studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids have obvious effects on preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, many dietary patterns have added them to dietary supplement formulations. Even scientists often suggest that people can prevent cardiovascular disease by eating more fish.
So, can eating more fish really prevent cardiovascular disease? How to eat to achieve the preventive effect?
A study of 420,000 people confirms that eating fish is really healthier
In December 2020, an article published in the journal EHJ, this study compares people with different diets (including vegetarians, fish eaters, carnivores, fish and poultry mixed eaters) cardiovascular disease (CVD) The incidence and risk of death, a study of more than 420,000 people provided us with a dietary option to reduce cardiovascular disease.
image 3:Vegetarians, fish, poultry, and meat-eaters: who has higher risk of cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality? A prospective study from UK Biobank
The study found that all fish-eaters have a low incidence of cardiovascular disease, and vegetarians only have health benefits in the comprehensive cardiovascular disease index. Finally, after analyzing the death results, no association was found between the risk of cardiovascular disease and dietary preferences for the other two types of diets.
image 4: Main research results
Compared with meat eaters, fish eaters have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events.
Among them, the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) decreased by 30% (HR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.56-0.88); the incidence of heart failure (HF) decreased by 22% (HR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.63-0.97) ); the incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) (HR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.70–0.88) and stroke (stroke) (HR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.63–0.98) was reduced by 21%; The risk of CVD is reduced by 7% (HR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88–0.97).
In short, eating more fish is good for cardiovascular health. But how should fish be eaten? How many meals do you eat a day?
Two servings of "oily fish" a week can prevent recurrent heart disease
People often think that eating fish is good for our health. Which fish is best for us? On March 8, 2021, a new study published in a JAMA sub-journal answered this question.
image 5: Associations of Fish Consumption With Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality Among Individuals With or Without Vascular Disease From 58 Countries
Researchers from McMaster University analyzed 4 research data from nearly 192,000 people on five continents. It can be said that this is part of the global fishery absorption and health results. The most researchers from the data It was found that eating salmon, parasitic fish, tuna, sardines and other oily fish may have a protective effect on heart health.
image 6: Average level of cardiovascular risk markers calculated by fish intake in a prospective urban and rural epidemiology (PURE) trial (n = 147 541)
Studies have found that the key ingredient in oily fish that plays a preventive role is
Omega-3 fatty acids. High-risk groups consume two servings of fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids a week,
their major cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes] The risk of the event has been reduced by approximately 1/6. On the other hand, eating fish has a significant protective effect on patients with cardiovascular disease, but no benefits have been found for people without heart disease/stroke; eating fish rich in Omega-3 fatty acids can make people with low cardiovascular disease risk To a certain extent, "moderate protection" can be obtained to achieve the effect of preventing cardiovascular disease, but its health benefits are not as obvious as those of people at high risk of cardiovascular disease.
In any case, the research has important implications for global fish intake guidelines. At the same time, the study found that increased intake of fish (especially oily fish) may bring certain benefits to the cardiovascular of vascular patients.
Write at the end
Omega-3 fatty acids rich in fish can reduce the risk of abnormal heartbeat, reduce fat in the blood, and reduce the accumulation of clogged arteries (the well-known plaque and mild hypotension). However, we still need to be vigilant. Due to deep-sea pollution, most seafood contains mercury, but most of it is concentrated in large fish, such as sharks, swordfish, square-headed fish, king mackerel, short tuna, sailfish and orange spines. Seabream, so the use of fish still requires caution. At the same time, experts believe that the way of eating fish is also very important. Different studies have clearly shown that when the same fish is "fried", its beneficial effects disappear when compared with the cooking method of steaming.
