Mayo Clinic on Omega-3 in fish: How eating fish helps your heart

The omega-3 fatty acids in fish are good for your heart. Find out how the heart-health benefits of eating fish usually outweigh any risks.

If you're worried about heart disease — whether you want to avoid it, or you already have it and want to get healthier — eating one to two servings of fish a week could reduce your risk of dying of a heart attack by a third or more.

Doctors have long recognized that the unsaturated fats in fish, called omega-3 fatty acids, appear to reduce your risk of dying of heart disease. For many years, the American Heart Association has recommended that people eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids at least twice a week. But some people are still concerned about mercury or other contaminants in fish outweighing its heart-healthy benefits. However, when it comes to a healthier heart, the benefits of eating fish usually outweigh the possible risks of exposure to contaminants. Find out how to balance these concerns with adding a healthy amount of fish to your diet.

What are omega-3 fatty acids, and why are they good for your heart?

Fish contain unsaturated fatty acids, which, when substituted for saturated fatty acids such as those in meat, may lower your cholesterol. But the main beneficial nutrient appears to be omega-3 fatty acids in fatty fish. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fatty acid that's thought to reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Omega-3 fatty acids are also believed to improve learning ability in children, decrease triglycerides, lower blood pressure, reduce blood clotting, enhance immune function and improve arthritis symptoms. Consuming one to two servings a week of fish, particularly fish that's rich in omega-3 fatty acids, appears to reduce the risk of heart disease, particularly sudden cardiac death. Click to read the entire article, or visit www.mayoclinic.com.

Web MD’s Brain Food Test

Brain Food:
How Much Do You Know?
Which brain foods may help you think or boost your memory?

Salmon of the America’s has been promoting the term Salmon is Brain Food™ for quite some time. More studies are being completed showing a link between omega 3 fatty acids and promoting a healthy brain. Omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in fatty fish (like salmon and sardines), appear to have many health benefits. New research shows they may even build the brain's gray matter. In one study, healthy adults who ate the most omega-3 fatty acids had the most gray matter in three brain areas that regulate mood. How do omega-3 fatty acids help the brain? Scientists are still studying the connection. But they do know this: The omega-3 fatty acid DHA, is the major polyunsaturated fatty acid found in the brain, and is important for brain development and function. Take a few minutes to complete Web MD’s brain food test. Click here to access the test.

Easy Get Ready for Spring Salmon Recipe

Swirly Salmon Sandwich Wraps

This terrific new way to wrap up lunch takes no time at all and never compromises taste.

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

• ½ cup cooked, flaked farmed salmon fillets or portions
• 2 tablespoons grated carrot
• ¼ cup ranch salad dressing or your favorite dressing
• Fresh lettuce or fresh spinach
• 2 whole wheat flour tortillas (7 inches in diameter)

Directions:

• Gently stir salmon and carrot into ranch dressing.
• Spread half of salmon mixture on each tortilla, almost to edge add lettuce or spinach leaves.
• Roll up tightly to make a "wrap."
• Refrigerate until chilled. If desired, slice each wrap diagonally into several pieces.