
To minimize them, cook fish for the shortest time possible, avoid charring the flesh and add a marinade. Grilling and broiling fish can produce some harmful compounds. To reduce your exposure to these compounds, avoid cooking with an open flame, try to keep your cooking times as short as possible and avoid charring meat ( 37).Īdditionally, applying a marinade to your fish before you grill it may help reduce the formation of HAs and PAHs ( 38).

High levels of AGEs have been linked to a range of diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s ( 34, 35, 36). These compounds form naturally in your body as you age, but can also form in muscle-containing foods like meat and fish when they are cooked at high temperatures ( 31, 32, 33). Grilling and broiling may also result in the formation of compounds called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Eating fish hasn’t been associated with the same risks ( 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30). However, the risks associated with these compounds have only been linked to high intakes of red or processed meat. These two types of compounds form when muscle tissue from meat or fish is heated to very high temperatures, particularly over an open flame ( 24). Unfortunately, both grilling and broiling are known to cause the formation of some harmful compounds called heterocyclic amines (HAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) ( 22, 23). The main difference between the two methods is that grilling applies heat from below and broiling applies it from above.īoth methods are a fast way to cook really tasty fish without adding any fats. They both involve applying dry heat to your food at very high temperatures. Grilling and broiling are very similar cooking methods. Health experts recommend eating fish at least once or twice each week. Summary:įish is a good source of high-quality protein, vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. These are some of the reasons why health experts recommend eating fish at least once or twice a week ( 20, 21). Some studies have linked it to a lower risk of metabolic syndrome and reduced risk factors for heart disease ( 16, 17, 18, 19).

These special fats may also slow down the decline in brain function that people commonly experience as they age ( 14, 15).Įating lean fish may also have health benefits. In fact, getting enough omega-3s has been linked with a number of health benefits, including a decreased risk of heart disease and some cancers ( 10, 11, 12, 13). Your body and brain also need omega-3 fatty acids to function at their best. However, fatty fish are one of the few food sources of vitamin D and can contribute a good amount ( 8, 9). The best way to get vitamin D is through sun exposure. This has been linked to a higher risk heart disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia and some autoimmune diseases ( 7). This is because they contain some important nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D ( 6).Ĭurrently, around 40% of people have low levels of vitamin D. In general, they are divided into two categories: lean and fatty.īoth are considered nutritious and a great source of high-quality protein, but fatty fish are thought to be especially important for health.

There are many types of fish, all with different nutrition profiles.
