Wild Alaska Fish for Our Health and Immune System
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Natural fish and seafood may help improve the health and immune system. One of the main reasons, why fish and seafood are so healthy, is the high content of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in them.
What are omega-3 acids for?
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Healthy heart: omega-3 acids from Alaska wild fish can reduce the amount of triglycerides in the blood, thereby lowering the risk of heart diseases. The regular use of omega-3 also stabilizes the heart rate.
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Regulation of blood pressure: high blood pressure is one of the main causes of cardiovascular diseases. It has been proven that the consumption of omega-3 lowers blood pressure.
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Reducing systemic inflammation: systemic inflammation may be a result of an unhealthy lifestyle, stress, or lack of sleep. Omega-3 helps reduce systemic inflammation, which can cause a wide range of diseases – from cancer to autoimmune diseases.
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Immune system and healthy intestines: more and more studies show that our immune system depends on the health of our intestines. Thanks to omega-3 acids, wild Alaska fish helps improve gut health, reduces systemic inflammation of the intestines and helps restore the microbiota of the intestinal flora.
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Improving glucose metabolism: omega-3 improves glucose metabolism, which reduces the risk of insulin resistance or diabetes.
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For pregnant women´s health: omega-3 acids from Alaska fish are involved in the development of the brain and the nervous system of the fetus.
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Omega-3 also helps maintain beautiful skin, healthy joints, reduces the risk of cognitive diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and dementia, and reduces the risk of depression.
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are practically not synthesized in the human body and must be obtained from the diet. The recommended daily dose of all omega-3 acids is 1100 mg for women and 1600 mg for men (National Institutes of Health (NIH). For example, 170 g of Alaskan chum salmon contains 1366 mg of omega-3, wild pink salmon - 1048 mg. Pollock is an excellent low-calorie source of omega-3 - 562 mg per 170 g of fish and only 140 calories. Alaska wild salmon caviar contains 680 mg of omega-3 per serving (28 g).
Vitamin D. Wild fish is an important natural source of Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to depression, anxiety, the development of osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases. Vitamin D helps support the functioning of muscles, heart, lungs, brain, bones, and our immune system. The recommended daily dose of vitamin D for a person aged 19 to 70 years is 600 IU (including for pregnant or lactating women). 170 grams of wild Alaska pink salmon contain 888 IU of vitamin D, and sockeye salmon – 1140 IU. It is essential to eat fish and seafood in winter and spring when it is more difficult to have Vitamin D from the sun.
Selenium is a microelement responsible for the antioxidant defense of the body and functioning of the immune system. It plays an important role in both the prevention and treatment of flu and acute respiratory viral infections. Selenium is also important for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, for maintaining the health of the thyroid gland and bones. It also protects against the toxic effects of mercury. The recommended daily dose of selenium is 55 mcg for adolescents and adults, 60 mcg for pregnant women and 70 mcg for nursing mothers. One serving (85 g) of chum salmon contains 40 mcg, pink salmon 30 mcg, Alaska pollock - 38 mcg.
Vitamins B - niacin, B6, and B12 - are necessary for the functioning of the human body, including the production of energy at the cellular level, the creation and restoration of DNA and the reduction of inflammation.
Potassium helps control blood pressure.
Iron, copper, and zinc are necessary for various body functions, including the proper functioning of the immune system, wound healing, oxygen transport, and cell growth.
Protein. Alaska fish and seafood are rich in high-quality protein, which is very important for the health of our muscles. At the same time, the fat content in natural Alaska seafood is not high, as wild fish live in a natural environment and move a lot.
You can buy natural Alaska seafood in most Ukrainian supermarkets. Here is a complete list of Ukrainian supermarkets where Alaska fish is sold. In most stores, you can find wild pink salmon, Alaska pollock and salmon roe.
Alaska fish is available frozen. In Ukraine, a part of Alaska fish is single frozen, it means that is was frozen only once, and with a minimum of glaze. Alaska seafood industry utilizes cryogenic flash freezing technology to decrease the damage to the fish in the freezing process. It helps bring just harvested fish just out of the water to a solid frozen state within a few hours. Frozen fish can be stored for a long time in the freezer, and when thawed, it keeps its healthy properties and texture of meat.
Include wild frozen Alaska fish into your shopping list!
Here you will find more information about freezing technology, and here about the storing and thawing fish and seafood.
You can find many tasty and healthy recipes with Alaska fish and seafood at www.eeu.alaskaseafood.org/recipes/.
Prepared by the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.
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