'I'm a Cardiologist, and This Is the Type of Fish I Eat Every Week for Heart Health'
Woman holding a heart-shaped plate of heart-healthy foods.
Chances are you already know the importance of heart health: 647,000 Americans die from heart disease and cardiovascular conditions every year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports.
While that number is pretty harrowing on its face, thankfully, many of these conditions can be prevented or at least managed with a healthy lifestyle: Exercise, stress management, avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol, and enjoying a healthy, balanced diet that's low in cholesterol, trans fats, saturated fats, sugar and sodium.
The general contents of a heart-healthy diet are pretty basic: Leafy greens, legumes, nuts, olive oil, berries and fish.
"Fish consumption is part of the well-known, famous and globally adopted traditional Mediterranean-style diet," Dr. Mustali Dohadwala, MD, cardiologist and medical director of Heartsafe, a cardiology-focused private practice in Boston, says. "It's been shown in several observational studies that this diet's adoption is associated with lower cardiovascular mortality as well as overall mortality."
But there's one fish that stands out from the school in terms of its heart-health benefits, according to cardiologists—many of whom make it a weekly staple in their own diets. Find out what it is and why it the answer is not quite as simple as you might think.
Related: The Biggest Barrier to a Heart-Healthy Diet
What Type of Fish Do You Eat Most Often for Heart Health?
Bet you saw this one coming: Cardiologists were basically unanimous in saying that salmon is the most heart-healthy fish thanks to its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Even then, though, not all salmon is created equal.
Dr. Mary Greene, MD, a cardiologist at Manhattan Cardiology and contributor to LabFinder, recommends opting for wild-caught salmon over farm-raised salmon, as wild-caught fish tend to be leaner and more flavorful.
Related: The Best Diet for Reducing Heart Attack Risk, According to Cardiologists
What Are the Biggest Health Benefits of Salmon?
That would be the omega-3 fatty acids. According to Bradley Serwer, MD, FACC, FSCAI, cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, "Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to lower triglyceride levels, reduce vascular inflammation and reduce the risk of arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms)."
Additionally, Dr. Dohadwala says, "Research has shown that consuming fish four times per week or more can decrease the incidence of acute myocardial infarction. Even consuming two servings a week can lower the incidence of a major cardiovascular event and death among people who have an established diagnosis of cardiovascular disease."
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What Are the Healthiest Ways to Prepare Salmon?
Like anything else, if not prepared properly or with heart-conscious recipes, salmon can vary in how healthy it actually is.
Dr. Greene recommends raw salmon if you can crack it—sushi or sashimi, anyone?
"If you can safely eat the fish raw, that is a great way to retain all of the natural nutrients in their bioavailable form," she advises. "If this is not possible, then cooking at a very low temperature is the healthiest option, like baking or grilling over low heat. Deep frying and other high heat methods are not recommended as it will destroy a lot of the nutritional benefits in the process."
According to Dr. Dohadwala, steaming salmon can also be a healthy and tasty option for your meal. Dr. Serwer has another tip to make your heart-healthy dinner pleasant for your taste buds, too: "Adding herbs, spices and juices may enhance the flavors. I recommend avoiding high salt seasoning, as this may be too much sodium for a heart-healthy diet."
Thankfully, salmon is flavorful enough to not need much to make it both healthy and delicious, and there are a ton of tasty options when it comes to this specific fish. Check out 60 healthy salmon recipes here.
Related: 65 Best Salmon Recipes for Easy Dinners
What Are Other Heart-Healthy Types of Seafood?
Like salmon, the heart health benefits of other seafood varieties can depend on its preparation: For example, fried clams or other fried seafood probably aren't the healthiest option (lots of breading, calories and fat), and shrimp and lobster can have high cholesterol, Dr. Serwer points out. That said, cardiologists each have some personal favorites if you want a break from weeks and weeks of bright pink entrees.
"Other fish which are high in omega-3 fatty acids include sardines, trout, mackerel and herring," Dr. Serwer recommends. "These fish also are high in other nutrients such as vitamin D, which can lower triglyceride levels, reduce vascular inflammation and have also been shown to reduce the risk of arrhythmias."
There is some other seafood to eschew, however, and not for caloric reasons, Dr. Dohadwala notes: "People should avoid seafood or fish that is high in mercury content such as swordfish, marlin and shark."
If you're not a fan of fish but still want the health benefits, you're not out of luck, either. Dr. Greene says a heart-healthy option for those who don't necessarily want to make a meal out of fish is to use cod liver oil as a supplement. Dr. Dohadwala says you can also get similar health benefits from adding green leafy vegetables, walnuts or chia seeds to your diet.
Next, The #1 Sign of a Healthy Heart, According to Cardiologists
