Eating fish a few times a week really can reduce your chances of a heart attack, a major new study has revealed.
The health-giving effects of a fish diet are amplified if you also take omega-3 supplements, say researchers from the University of Alabama. Overall, people who eat fish just once or twice a week nearly halve their chances of a heart attack that could be fatal or that needs hospital care.
The researchers tracked the health profiles of 36,234 healthy women for nine years; those who ate up to three servings of fish a week were the least likely to have a heart attack, but even one serving a week – especially if the person was also supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids from fish – was offering strong protection.
(Source: Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2010; March 24; doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.50).