Ten reasons to eat more fish

Fish is healthy and delicious as you'll read below.

3. White fish is light and delicate, making it easy to digest – hence it’s great for weaning babies. Remove any bones and poach it in water or baby milk, then purée it with veg.

4. A diet that is rich in long-chain Omega 3 fatty acids may help to improve a person’s ability to concentrate.

5. Omega 3 fats have an anti-inflammatory effect that may help relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis as well as skin problems such as psoriasis.

6. Omega 3 fats may help keep the heart healthy by making the blood less likely to clot, lowering blood pressure and encouraging the muscles lining the artery walls to relax, improving the flow of blood to the heart.

7. Oil-rich fish are one of the few foods which contain vitamin D, essential for calcium absorption. They also provide iodine and selenium, important trace elements.

8. Though some shellfish are high in cholesterol, this isn’t responsible for raised levels in the blood. The cause is a diet high in saturated fats which the body itself then turns into cholesterol in the blood.

9. During pregnancy, the Omega 3 fats that are found in oil-rich fish are an important factor in the baby’s eye and brain development.*

10. Although you can find Omega 3 fats in plant sources, the long- chain Omega 3s found in oil-rich fish are the most useful sort for the body.

*A study of 9,000 British families suggests that women who eat fish and seafood during their pregnancies could end up having brighter children. The study seems to bear out the old saying that fish is good for the brain. The new advice contradicts previous warnings that suggested pregnant women should limit the amount of fish they eat because of the potentially dangerous pollutants contained in seafood.