Omega-3 fatty acids in commonly caught fish

[hook-line-sinker]

Hi All,

I am trying to find information about the relative levels of healthy omega-3 fatty acids in fish that are commonly caught off the beach - bream, flathead, dart, whiting etc

It is commonly known that sardines, tuna and salmon are high in omega 3's, but I would like to find out about local fish.

Any help greatly appreciated.

H-L-S

[fishyfrost]

dude all fish are high in omega 3 fatty acids it's just your fish with darker flesh such as mackrel tuna salmon sardines etc are much higher so in tun better for you if your trying to boost your omega 3 intake. Regular conumption of omega 3 fatty acids helps prevent blood clots, protect against irregular heartbeats and lowers blood pressure. So it's the fatty fish that are the best sources. There is also research on the adverse effect of mercury an envionmental conteminant common in some fish that may diminish the health benefts of omega 3 fatty acids..

[Scott nthQld]

I agree, all fish have good amounts of omega 3, the darker flesh, oiler fish have higher amounts, which iswhy they are the ones with the emphasis. As to the mercury in certain species, it doesn't have any sort of neative effect until you start eating vast quantities, such as 2-3kg marlin every day over an extended period of about 6 months before any negative effect are prevalent.

[hungry6]

When I was young, that was along-long time ago, a dietician"fisho mate" told me that common mullet has plenty of it, sometime mullt taste good an sometime I rather eat the mud from the bottom of the brisbane river. Now I just stick to mackerals and tunas

[hook-line-sinker]

Hey,

Thanks to all who replied.

I would still like to find a table actually quantifying how much in Omega-3 in each species.

Maybe if you live off bream, whiting and flathead - like me - you still should take an Omega 3 supplement, cos these fish have very low levels. Dart (Swallowtail to all you in the Deep North ) look a bit oilier, so maybe they have higher levels?

Cheers

H-L-S

[kingtin]

What has to be borne in mind though, is that although oily fish is high in omega 3 it is also higher in calories, so if weight is a concern, be careful.

kev

It's all very well these bleeding heart liberals getting on their high horses because the Canadians are culling seals again. They don't have a troupe of seals living next door to them, like I do. If, like me, they were kept awake every night by incessant clapping and the honking of bicycle horns into the early hours, they'd be the first onto the ice floe with a baseball bat, let me tell you. ..............I Nuit, Alaska

[fishyfrost]

What has to be borne in mind though, is that although oily fish is high in omega 3 it is also higher in calories, so if weight is a concern, be careful.

kilojules is the measurement of energy in Australia but in constrast to the coment above.. a report done by the national cholesterol education program (NCEP) states that you should eat AT LEAST 2 servings of fish per week (particulary mackerel, lake trout, herring sardines and salmon)

[disorderly]

Remember seeing a table not to long ago,but I cant remember where.
I was surprised as spanish mackeral was the highest of the fish I commonly catch.In fact way higher than spottys, other mackerals and reef fish.

[Lizard King]

hey guys - have a look at this website - lotsa handy info...


http://www.csiro.au/resources/ps8k.html

[Lizard King]

This site is worth a look as well...

http://fn.cfs.purdue.edu/fish4health/NutritionalContentofFish/omega3.pdf

[kingtin]

kilojules is the measurement of energy in Australia but in constrast to the coment above.. a report done by the national cholesterol education program (NCEP) states that you should eat AT LEAST 2 servings of fish per week (particulary mackerel, lake trout, herring sardines and salmon)

The point I'm making is that it's absolutely pointless/useless concentrating on reducing your cholesterol if in doing so, you pile on weight by eating fish with a high calorie/kilojoule count. Weight puts as much strain on the heart as narrowing of the arteries (caused by cholesterol) does. You also need to look at the fats, mono-unsaturated, saturated etc as it is simplifying the issue simply to focus on omega 3.

Now when they say "at least" 2 servings, if those servings have a higher kilojoule/calorie count than a similar piece of say chicken, and you are already overweight or are having to count calories/kilojoules, then eat no more than 2 servings of (omega 3) fish...........or...............have a portion (100 gms) of mullet (550 KJ) as opposed to say, smoked eel at 1380 kj's

To get back to the original question,.............

H-L-S, my deckie has a grad dip in health promotion and this is one reference she uses and you will find most fish detailed here (Kj's omega 3, saturated fat etc)........amongst them, the ones you are interested in.

http://www.frdc.com.au/species.php?f=67&v=f

kev

Why don't Queensland Health bosses start hiring obsessive compulsives as nurses? Their attention to hygiene and constant hand washing would see an end to MRSA outbreaks in no time

[hook-line-sinker]

Hey, thanks again everyone, especially Kingtin. Very useful reference for omega-3's in commonly caught Australian fish.

I have just had a lovely salad for dinner, with a tin of Yellowfin tuna mixed in for the omega-3's.

Alas, the ref shows that Yellowfin tuna has a relatively low amount of O-3's (114mg/100gms), compared to Atlantic Salmon (549mg), Tailor (300mg), or even the common Sand Flathead (190mg).

Tuna has only marginally more O-3's than Bream (110mg), and whiting(100mg)

Another urban myth busted.......forget the tinned tuna for O-3's.........get down the beach and catch a nice tailor or flathead......

Seriously, thanks again. The internet is such a great tool to share information, from such an impressively resourceful lot of Ausfish members

H-L-S