The Food Standards Agency recommends that we should eat at least two portions of fish (fresh, frozen or canned) a week, at least one of which should be an oily fish.
“Oily” fish include mackerel (galungong, alumahan and hasahasa are types of mackerel), salmon (available in supermarkets), pilchards, herring, trout, sardines (tamban and tuloy) and fresh tuna (bariles, tulingan). Both white fish – such as cod, haddock, monkfish, etc – and oily fish are excellent sources of protein, vitamins and minerals, but oily fish is particularly nutritious.
The British Nutrition Foundation’s Sarah Schenker explains: “White fish is mostly water and protein. Oily fish is completely different. It has a higher fat content – higher than some meats – but a much different fat than that found in meat.”
Oily fish is rich in a fatty acid called omega-3. Various studies have shown that omega-3 can help prevent heart disease, improve IQ, improve immune function, may help improve symptoms of arthritis, and can help with certain skin problems.
Studies also suggest that omega-3 can help dyslexia sufferers, lower re-offending rates of young offenders and help alleviate depression. The fish with the most omega-3 is mackerel, which has the highest fat content of any oily fish, with up to 30g or fat per 100g, of which omega-3 comprises five per cent.
