f fish, andthose that contain the greatest amounts of heart protectingomega-3 fatty acids, tend to be those that live in cold oceanwaters. These varieties of fish include salmon and sardines.The benefits of a fishy diet Fish has long been thought to havea positive benefit on the heart. So far the results of clinicalstudies have been inconclusive, but research into the hearthealthy effects of fish continues. No matter what the benefits,there is little doubt that fish is a healthy food, containingsignificant levels of protein and smaller amounts of fat andcalories than other types of meat.As a matter of fact, fish is one of the best sources of proteinthere is. Everyone needs protein for building muscles andrepairing damaged body tissues. In addition, protein plays avital role in the growth of nails and hair, in hormoneproduction and in many other vital bodily processes....

... In addition to fish, many other animal based products, such asmeat, eggs, poultry and dairy products, contain significantamounts of protein. Plant based sources of protein exist aswell, in nuts, beans and lentils, among others. The key to getting sufficient protein in the diet is to balancethe healthy effects of protein on the diet against the largeamounts of fat and cholesterol that protein rich foods oftencontain. The combination of high protein and low fat is one ofthe things that makes a diet rich in fish so appealing.With the exception of salmon, almost all commonly eatenvarieties of fish are very low in fat, and even salmon containslower levels of fat than many varieties of meats. In addition,fish is low in saturated fat, the type of fat that is mostassociated with heart disease and clogged arteries. Fish is low in unsaturated fat because of the nature of whereand how they live. Instead of storing energy in the form ofsaturated fat as land animals do, fish store their fat in theform of polyunsaturated oils. That adaptation allows theirbodies to function normally in the cool oceans and streams wherethey swim. It also makes them a great choice for anyone seekingto cut levels of saturated fat in the diet.For all these reasons, fish remains an important part of any lowfat, heart healthy lifestyle. Substituting high fat, greasyfoods like hamburgers and ribs is a great way to make a changefor healthy living.One note about fish and pollution, however. It is true that manyfish caught in polluted waters contain high levels of mercury.While most commercially caught and grown fish is low in mercury,it is important for fisherman to limit their consumption oflocally caught fish. Pregnant women are also advised to limittheir intake of fish, due to the potential harm to the baby.Fitting fish into your busy lifestyle Many people avoid fishbecause they do not know how to prepare and cook it. While it istrue that fish can present more of a challenge for theinexperienced, there are many recipes and cookbooks that makepreparation easier. In addition, many packaged seafood productscontain cooking tips and serving suggestions that take some ofthe mystery out of preparing a nutritious and delicious meal offresh fish.Even those who do not cook, however, can enjoy the many benefitsof fish in the diet. There are a number of canned seafoodproducts on the market, including canned salmon, sardines andthe ever popular tuna. So there is no reason fish cannot fitinto your healthy eating plan....