Most of us know that to maintain our health we should eat a balanced diet and there is evidence that a healthy lifestyle leads to a longer, healthier life. Experts recommend a change in our general lifestyle to help reduce many of the illnesses from which we tend to suffer

Fish has a significant role as part of a healthy diet

Heart disease and strokes are primary causes of death and serious illness among European men and women. Diet is recognised as one of the established factors contributing to the development of heart disease. In Ireland, the Food Advisory Committee of the Department of Health recommends that the consumer should cut down on the amount of fat eaten, avoid excess salt and sugar and increase the amount of fibre rich foods in the diet.

In recent years the main claim to fame for eating fish, following extensive research into its role in preventing heart disease and other illnesses, has been its importance as a source of  the long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (known as PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docasaheaxaenoic acid (DHA).

There is only one form of living organism that can readily make long chain n-3 PUFAs - marine algae. As fish feed on algae, they become rich sources of such fatty acids. This is particularly true of the flesh of oil-rich fish such as mackerel, salmon and herring, as well as the livers of any ‘white’ fish (e.g. cod).

Fish is also a reliable source of protein, iron, selenium and iodine. The flesh of oil-rich fish and particularly the livers of lean white fish are good sources of vitamins A and D. When the bones are small and soft and can be eaten (e.g. in sardines, pilchards, tinned salmon) fish is also a useful dietary source of calcium.

Other pages in this section provide more detailed information on choosing and cooking fish as well as more complete nutritional data.

	Noun:
	the process by which an organism absorbs and utilizes food substances.

This section on Nutrition is based on the documentation on “Nutritional Aspects of Fish”  prepared by the Irish Sea Fisheries Board (AN BORD IASCAIGH MHARA)