Fish

6.5 Quiz Quick Questions To answer the following, click on the purple books. 1. Farmed trout that are fed grain food will have a similar nutrient profile as trout caught in the wild will be lower in omega 3 fatty acids compared with fish in the wild will taste better 2. Why is fish considered a brain food?

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Farmed fish

Today there are a number of fish farms or hatcheries. The fish reared on these farms may differ in their nutritional composition compared with fish reared in the wild because fish in a sense are what they eat. Fish fed a grain-based diet instead of fish-meal will not accumulate omega 3 fats to the same extent as fish reared in the wild. In fact according to a Greek researcher (Artemis Simopoulos) fish fed a diet lacking in omega 3 fats tend to develop cardiovascular disease.

Brain food

The suggestion that fish may be a brain food is an interesting idea whose origin is obscure. However, recent findings indicate there may be some scientific validity to this idea. Some fish are rich in omega 3 fats. These fats are also found in the brain and in the retina at the back of the eye, which receives light and transforms it into nerve signals. All fish and lean meats (especially non-domesticated meats like kangaroo and rabbit) contain varying amounts of omega-3 fats.

Although these fatty acids can be synthesised in the human body from shorter chain fatty acids that belong to the same family of fats, it is more efficient if they are eaten in their longer chain form. It is possible that at the time of rapid brain growth and development early in life there may be a special requirement for omega 3 fats. Several nutrition authorities have made recommendations regarding the desirable level of intake for omega 3 fats.

Another interesting aspect of this story is that, in evolutionary terms, we probably emerged at the water's edge. We also tended to live by the water, therefore; fish or shellfish consumption has been an integral part of traditional food habits.

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