Dear Reader:

What’s Your Fish IQ?

It’s Friday so that means fish for lunch and or dinner in many households. We try to eat fish often regardless of the day of the week. We do, however, eat fried fish which isn’t the recommendation of those who suggest fish consumption for a proper diet.

This morning I took a quiz presented by WebMD that let me know just how little I really know about fish from purchasing the best types of fish to preparing it for a meal. The first question asked in the quiz was:

Fresh fish is always healthier than frozen fish. True or False?

Seems simple enough, true, I confidently typed in. Oh, how wrong I was. The answer is false and here’s why according to WebMD.

Unless you know it’s high quality fresh fish, go with frozen. A lot of fish is flash frozen on the boat right after it’s caught. After thawing, it should still be quite good.

So, I pull up the next question.

The health risks of eating fish often outweigh the benefits. True or False?

Again, I chose true and again I was wrong.

The answer is false and the reason is easy to see when you give it a little thought.

Many foods, from fruits to vegetables to dairy products and meat, can be tainted with chemicals and other unsavory things. Fish too, can have mercury and PCBs. But experts say the benefits are much more likely to outweigh the risks.

I managed to get the next question right.

People who eat fish regularly have a lower risk of:

• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Depression
• All of the above

This one had to be, All of the above and it was. Here’s why:

The benefits of regularly eating healthy fish keep piling up. It lowers blood pressure, cuts the risks of irregular heartbeats, and drops the risk of fatal heart disease by 36%.

It also seems to lower the risks of stroke and some cancers, improve your mood, and help with other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

The benefits of eating fish comes from something called Omega 3 fatty acids, they help our cells work. Because our bodies don’t make enough of them, we have to get them in food, according to WebMD. Fish that are high in Omega 3 fatty acids include salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines.

And I know, fellas, it’s Friday so for some of you that means it’s time to play. You may be planning a romantic evening and oysters may be on the menu. There’s an urban legend that says that oysters are an aphrodisiac. The experts say, urban legend it is. There’s no scientific evidence that oysters make you friskier. However, for those who lack certain nutrients, like selenium, they could feel a bit more amorous after eating oysters.

Let me suggest if you are fond of eating fish, you should know as much as you possibly can about this food. It is, in general, good for you if purchase the right types and prepare it properly.

Go to http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/rm-quiz-fish-fact-fiction and take the quiz yourself. It’s enlightening and fun.

More health information is available at Brain Brawn & Body. I invite you to read, learn, enjoy!

Eric Von

Publisher/Editor