Fish oil prevents heart diseases, other ailments – Nutritionist

A Nutritionist, Hajiya Jummai Hassan, says that fish oil is of immense benefit to the body because prevents heart diseases and other ailments.
Hassan, who works with the Wuse General Hospital, Abuja, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday.
She said an individual could get fish oil, which was in the tissue of oily fish, by taking fish oil supplements or by eating oily fish.
Hassan said fish oil was high in Omega 3 fatty acids, also known as the “good fats” and was low in “bad fats” commonly found in red meat called Omega 6 fatty acids.
“Studies have shown that consuming fish oil lowers blood pressure and also reduces the risk of heart diseases,” she said.
She said that fish oil also helped to build the immune system, thereby guarding the body against various diseases and infections.
The nutritionist said that fish had been considered by many people to be a “brain food”.
Hassan said: “This explains why fish has also been incorporated into the diet of people in the treatment for depression, anxiety, psychosis, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders.
“Fish oil is also used in the treatment of diabetics, asthma, kidney diseases and osteoporosis.”
Hassan said fish oil was highly recommended in pregnancy, adding that it helped to increase fertility.
She said: “Studies have also shown that women sometimes use fish oil to prevent complications associated with pregnancy such as miscarriage, high blood pressure, late in pregnancy and early delivery.”
Hassan said fish oil had always been given to babies, adding that traditional medicine recognised its benefits.
She urged people to also take caution while preparing fish in order not to destroy its nutritional value or to negate its benefits.
Hassan said that steaming was probably the best method of cooking fish because it preserved a lot of its property.
The nutritionist listed some of the fishes that were high in the Omega 3 fatty acid to include mackerel, tuna, salmon, sardines, mullet, herring and anchovy.