Sam Howells and Ben Jones have the answers to all your diet and nutrition questions. They are directors at diet, weightloss and holistic health provider BlueSkies and have over 20 years of experience in the health, fitness and nutrition industry- helping people make healthy food choices, manage their weight and become fitter and healthier.

Jess Asks:

I’ve heard fish is really good for you because of the omega 3 oils, but that tinned and smoked fish don’t count. Plus, a friend told me that some fish has dangerous mercury in it. Which types of fish I should be eating and how often?

The Nutritionists’ Answer:

Great questions Jess - we get asked fishy questions by a lot of people!   

The first thing that is important to say is that ALL fish is good for you as it’s a very lean source of protein. It’s normally the way that fish is cooked that detracts from its goodness – think battered and fried. However, as you alluded to, some fish offer more health benefits than others!

Oily fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines, pilchards and fresh tuna contains the ‘healthy’, or polyunsaturated, fats that we are advised to eat more of.  These types of fish are high in Omega 3 which is called an essential polyunsaturated fatty acid – it is ‘essential’ because our bodies cannot make it so we need to consume it through our diets. 

Omega 3 has many health benefits and it is believed that it may lower your risk of heart disease and blood vessel disease, help maintain joint health, enhance foetal development, improve brain development, concentration, learning ability and behaviour in children as well as enhancing brain function in adults. 

As with most food, the less ‘processed’ it is, the better it will be for you – this is true of tinned and smoked fish. If a product’s been tinned or smoked it will have fewer micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) than the fresh version, however it will still be a good source of protein, low in fat and contain a certain amount of vitamins and minerals. The fish to really avoid are the ones that have been battered, breaded or already have cheesey or creamy sauces on them. 

It is recommended that adults and children over 12 years old eat 2 portions of oily fish per week – a portion is 140g cooked fish and it will contain approximately 450mg of Omega 3’s. Children under 12 will need less – the British Dietetic Association recommend that children aged 18 months to 3 years eat on third of a portion, those aged 4 to 6 years eat half a portion and those aged 7 to 11 eat two thirds of a portion per week. 

For most people, there is no risk of harm from eating up to 4 portions of oily fish per week but it may be high in mercury, as your friend warned you, so some people need to take care not to eat too much. Pregnant or breastfeeding women or those attempting to become pregnant should not eat any more than 2 portions per week. In addition, deep sea fish such as shark, marlin, tuna and swordfish may contain particularly high levels of mercury and so it should be avoided by these women and children under 16 years old. Mercury is potentially harmful for children and it can harm foetuses.

To find out more about the benefits of Omega 3s, Click Here.

Sam Howells, pictured. Sam is an accredited Sports Physiologist with a Masters in Sports Science. Sam says, ’My passion is to see as many people as possible leading healthy, active lives in ways that suit them - eating well and being active is not necessarily hard, doesn’t have to cost a fortune and doesn’t need to take up 90% of your time!’

Ben Jones, pictured. Ben is a personal trainer with a BSC in Physiology. Ben has a ‘practice what you preach’ attitude and follows a regular training programme - currently a mix of running, cycling and weight training.

Wouldn’t it be better to learn to eat healthily and enjoy delicious, lower calorie, nutritious food, rather than living on junk food, milkshakes, supplements or meal replacement bars? Find out how from our resident nutrition experts!

If you have a question about making your diet healthy and balanced, losing weight sensibly, the latest food and performance supplements, fad diets or whether your diet meets your body’s requirements, all you have to do is send them your question using the Comment on this Article box below. And remember – sign up to our monthly health and fitness newsletter to receive your expert answer direct in your in-box.

For more information on diet, nutrition, holistic health and the simple changes you can make to look and feel fantastic, visit www.blueskiesfitness.co.uk