Fish, an excellent source of protein and vitamins, has always been a good choice for dinner. However, according to a new study eating fish can also significantly reduce one’s chances of developing heart failure (as long as it isn’t fried).

Researchers arrived at this conclusion after tracking the eating habits of approximately 85,000 postmenopausal women for a period of ten years. It seems women who consumed five or more servings of fish per week had a 30% lower risk of developing heart failure than those who ate fish less than once a month. Of course, the fish the heart-healthy women ate was baked or broiled, not fried.

"Not all fish are equal, and how you prepare it really matters," said Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, lead author of the study. "When you fry fish, you not only lose a lot of the benefits, you likely add some things related to the cooking process that are harmful."

Still, fish is fish. There must be some benefit to eating these aquatic creatures, fried or not right? Researchers say no. The study showed no health benefits to snacking on fried fish and in fact found that women who ate even one serving of fried fish had a 48% higher risk of heart failure, even after researchers accounted for their overall diet, medical histories, and other factors.

The American Heart Association suggests eating at least two 3.5-ounce servings of fish per week, with dark, oily fish like salmon, mackerel, and bluefish being the best bet. And whatever you do, don’t fry it!

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Tags: fish, heart health, fish and heart health, health benefits of fish, fried fish
Categories: Men's health