4 Benefits of eating catfish.

4 Benefits of eating catfish.

what kind of food did you eat today?

As human beings we require food to stay alive, and for our bodies to function properly. The food we eat does more than just keeping us alive. The food we eat through the process of digestion, supplies our bodies with all the nutrients it needs for all its metabolic functions and activity.

What kind of food do you eat? Do you eat the right kind of food that is good for your body or do you just eat to stay alive?

I know the answer to these questions are not clear cut; it is a little to the left, and a little to the right. Regardless of what anyone might say, if you want to eat, you should eat a health diet.

Seafood are among the most healthiest food on the planet, and by seafood I mean fish.

Fish contributes significantly to the health and nutrition of families all over the world.

Why is fish healthy and good for all?

Fish is a prominent source of omega 3 fatty acids that help in the development, and proper functioning of the heart, brain and eyes.

Fish is highly recommended for children during the early years of life and is also good for pregnant and nursing mothers. Fish is also a rich source of omega 3 and other fat soluble vitamins that are crucial for our mental, and overall well-being.

What is omega 3 fatty acids and where can it be sourced?

Omega3 fatty acids, also called Omega-3 oil or fish oil, are polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) that are characterized by the presence of a double bond three atoms away from the end methyl group in their chemical structure.

Omega 3 oils are widely distributed in nature, and they form an important constituent of animal lipid metabolism, and they play a crucial role in the human diet and in the human body system.

What are the types of omega 3 fatty acids found in fish

They are three types of omega 3 oils that are found in nature, these are:

1. Alpha-linolenic acid or ALA

2. Docosahexaenoic acid or DHA

3. Eicosapentaenoic acid or EPA

ALA is the most common omega-3 fatty acid you can find in your diet. This omega 3 is mainly used by our bodies for energy, but it can also be converted into the biologically active forms of omega-3 I.e. EPA and DHA, but this conversion process is inefficient because Only a small percentage of ALA is converted into the active forms of omega 3.

EPA or Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is mostly found in animal products, such as fatty fish and fish oil, and even some micro algae also contain EPA. EPA has several important functions it performs in our bodies and part of it is also converted into DHA.

DHA or Docosahexaenoic acid is the most important of all the omega-3 fatty acids.

It is very important for our bodies and it is also a key structural component of the human brain, eyes, and other body parts.

Like EPA, DHA occurs mainly in animal products like fatty fish, fish oil, meat, eggs, and dairy from grass fed cattles also tend to contain a significant amount of DHA.

Catfish is a good source of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Research has shown that catfish contains about 20 fatty acids, of which five are identified as crucial for our health. They are Lauric acid , palmitic acid and stearic acid, while the main Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA) found in catfiah are oleic acid and linoleic acid, which are the Monounsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA) and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFA), respectively.

Lauric acid is more aboundant in catfish, while stearic acid has the least percentage.

Catfish contains the right amount of omega 3 fatty acids for our daily intake to keep our bodies functioning properly.

Catfish vecera, is also becoming a rich alternative to groundnut and other vegetable oils, used for cooking purposes due to its high omega 3 content.

omega 3 food supplement made with catfish oil

Some omega 3 food supplements are now being made with catfish vesera oil because of the many health benefits it offers to the aged and elderly people. Such benefits as suppressing the increase of cholesterol in elderly people and helping to maintain normal weight, are but a few of the many nurishment, old and aged people can get from eating catfish.

4 health Benefits of eating catfish:

catfish is good for the heart

1. Good for the heart:

Heart attacks and strokes are the two most common causes of premature death in the world today, must especially among the aged and elderly.

Fish generally, is considered as one of the most healthy foods you can eat to maintain a healthy heart, because of the omega-3 fatty acid is contains.

Many research studies have shown that; those people who eat fish regularly at least once a week, have a lower risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or even death from the listed heart conditions. Fatty types of fish such as catfish, are beneficial for heart health due to their omega-3 fatty acid content.

catfish is good for pregnant women and children

2. Good for pregnant and nursing mothers:

Catfish is rich in omega 3 fat, and this omega 3 fat I.e. docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is peculiarly critical for brain and eye development and function, for this reason, it is often recommended that pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, eat plenty fish, rich in omega 3 fatty acids.

Some fish are high in mercury, which is linked to brain developmental problems, however, catfish is low in Mercury, making it a very healthy food for women during pregnancy and when nursing children.

3. Catfish is rich in vitamin D:

Vitamin D works like a steroid hormone in the human body and a lot of people are deficient in vitamin D.

Fish are among the best dietary sources of vitamin D. Fatty fish like catfish contain amounts of vitamin D that is recommended for our daily diatery intake.

Catfish oil otherwise known as catfish vesera is also high in vitamin D.

For people that don't get much morning sun and don’t eat fatty fish regularly, such a person should consider taking a vitamin D supplement or use catfish oil for cooking.

4. Can boost brain health.

The human brain performance often declines as be begin to grow old and age. While mild mental decline is normal, serious neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s disease also exists, and are mostly common among the elderly and aged people.

Research studies have shown that; those people who eat more fish have a slower rate of having a mental decline as they age.

Another Study also showed that; those people who eat fish every week have more gray matter in their brains and the gray matter is a very functional and highly used tissue of the human brain. This is the part of the brain that regulates our emotions and memory.

SUMMARY

So many things have been said concerning the benefits of eating fish, but the truth remains that the benefit of eating fish, most especially fatty fish like catfish, can never be over emphasized.

As a fish farmer, I have this belief that I need to always promote the health benefit of eating catfish. I think of myself as a catfish ambassador hence it is imperative of me to always spread the good news, but more than anything, the benefit of eating catfish still remains high.

So When was the last time you had a catfish? It does not matter how you like it prepared; either smoked, barbecued or inside a pepper soup, it is fine, just get yourself a plate of catfish and enjoy the amazing taste packed with a good deal of health benefits.

What do you think about catfish, do you like to eat it or not?

Please dont leave without commenting, we want to hear your opinion.