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Heart-Healthy Eating: Fish and Fish Oil

British Columbia Specific Information

The BC Ministry of Health and BC Centre for Disease Control have developed recommendations that will help you and your family choose and eat fish that are low in mercury. To find out which fish are low, medium and high in mercury, see HealthLinkBC File #68m Food Safety: Mercury in Fish.

Additionally, BC oysters are high in cadmium. Health Canada recommends that adults eat a maximum of 12 BC oysters per month and that children eat a maximum of 1.5 BC oysters per month. For more information, see BCCDC - Cadmium in BC Shellfish.

 

Overview

Fish is a lean protein source that contains omega-3 fatty acids. This type of fat can be part of a heart-healthy diet.

Fish oil supplements are another way to get omega-3 fatty acids. Research has not proved that fish oil is helpful for everyone. That's why doctors do not agree about whether these supplements can help protect your heart.footnote 1

If you have severely high triglycerides, your doctor may recommend you take fish oil to try to prevent a problem with your pancreas called pancreatitis.

References

Citations

  1. Abdelhamid AS, et al. (2020). Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 3: CD003177. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003177.pub5. Accessed September 15, 2021

Credits

Current as of: March 1, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
Rakesh K. Pai MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology
Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine
E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine
Elizabeth T. Russo MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Colleen O'Connor PhD, RD - Registered Dietitian
Kathleen M. Fairfield MD, MPH, DrPH - Internal Medicine