With all the bogus and contradictory nutrition advice floating around, it can be hard to figure out which of them to trust.
However, there are some that are clear.
Certain nutrient deficiencies are worse than smoking a pack a day.
An omega-3 deficiency is one of them. Omega-3 is a saturated fat found in various seafood, but especially oily fish.
A research institute in Spain in collaboration with various North American universities, studied omega-3 levels in over 2200 subjects ages 65+ for 11 years.
The results show that those who regularly consumed oily fish had higher levels of Omega-3 levels, and get this:
Increased their life expectancy by an average of 5 years.[R]
That’s huge.
As one of the head researchers, Dr. Aleix Sala-Vila points out:
“It reinforces the idea that small changes in diet in the right direction can have a much more powerful effect than we think, and it is never too late or too early to make these changes.”
And man, don’t even get me started on the protein content in fish. I picked up a few frozen fish steaks the other day, popped a couple in the oven for 20 minutes, and enjoyed 28 grams of protein at only 160 calories!
With that said, it’s probably time dust off your fishing rods. Or at least swing over to the seafood aisle on your next grocery run.
By the way, if you’re not like me, and the thought of salmon for dinner doesn’t thrill you, you’re not alone.
Fish seems to be an “acquired taste” for many guys out there who’d rather dig into some red meat or a rotisserie chicken.
Turns out, there are ways to bring yourself to enjoying fish, even if you despise them now.
In fact, there’s a whole movement of vegetarians adding fish back into their diet because of all the health benefits. If they can do it, so can you.
I’d recommend starting with some “easier” meals like fried fish or sushi. Then, make your way to grilled or smoked fish. Specifically, fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines for the high Omega-3 content we want.
In the meantime, Omega-3 supplement pills will do wonders. Maybe even 5 extra years of life.