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Oily Fish ...
Oily fish such as sardines, herring, mackerel, trout and salmon are all rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids, which help prevent heart disease.
These fatty acids are also important for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
because they help a baby’s nervous system to develop (see Pregnancy,
children and babies).
Oily fish is also a good source of vitamins A and D.
You can check which fish are oily and which aren't in the table below:
| Oily / fatty fish | White / non-oily fish |
|---|---|
| Salmon Trout Mackerel Herring Sardines Pilchards Kipper Eel Whitebait Tuna (fresh only) Anchovies Swordfish Bloater Cacha Carp Hilsa Jack fish Katla Orange roughy Pangas Sprats |
Cod Haddock Plaice Coley Whiting Lemon sole Skate Halibut Rock salmon/Dogfish Ayr Catfish Dover sole Flounder Flying fish Hake Hoki John Dory Kalabasu Ling Monkfish Parrot fish Pollack Pomfret Red and grey mullet Red fish Red snapper Rohu Sea bass Sea bream Shark Tilapia Turbot Tinned tuna Marlin |
Fresh tuna is an oily fish and is high in omega 3 fatty acids. But when it's
canned, these fatty acids are reduced to levels similar to white fish. So, although
canned tuna is a healthy choice for most people, it doesn't count as oily fish.
How much oily fish?
Most people should be eating more oily fish because omega 3 fatty acids are
very good for our health.
However, oily fish can contain low levels of pollutants that can build up in
the body.
For this reason there are recommendations for the maximum number of portions
of oily fish we should be eating each week (a portion is about 140g):
| 2 portions of oily fish | 4 portions of oily fish |
|---|---|
girls and women who might have a baby one day |
other women |
| women who are pregnant or breastfeeding |
men and boys |
But remember, don’t give up eating oily fish because the health benefits are greater than the risks as long as you don't eat more than the recommended maximums.