Good fish, bad fish

Good fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Bad fish are contaminated with industrial pollutants.

Good fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Bad fish are contaminated with industrial pollutants. Choice magazine rates our common table species.

If you're eating more and more fish these days, you're going with the trend.

Yes, fish is in, meat (especially red meat) is out.

It's partly because we now realise eating too much meat (more than once or twice a week) is linked with cancer of the bowel.

It's also because we now realise fish is not only a good source of protein, low in fat overall, but high in a form of good fat – omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to act as natural anti-inflammatory agents.

There are two main omega-3 fatty acids in fish: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). (Practice the pronunciation before you recite these names at your next fish banquet).

Our society's biggest killer is atherosclerosis, caused by inflammation and hardening of the walls of the arteries. Omega-3 fatty acids 'damp down' this inflammation, reducing the likelihood of atherosclerosis, and hence heart disease and stroke.

Fish isn't the only source of omega-3 fatty acids; they're also found in shellfish, meats and some plants, but in smaller amounts than in fish.

Eating fish regularly can reduce your chance of having a fatal heart attack by 25 per cent or more, says the Heart Foundation of Australia.

There's also evidence that omega-3s are good for the brain. They may reduce our chances of developing cognitive impairment and dementia as we get older.

And breastfed infants, whose mothers regularly eat oily fish, appear to develop better visual function than those who don't. There's also evidence suggesting omega-3 fatty acids may also lower the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and possibly depression and asthma.

Hence, the National Heart Foundation recommends we eat two or three serves of oily fish a week.

Which fish, exactly? Fish that contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids include mackerel, Atlantic salmon (canned salmon too), canned tuna, herrings and sardines.

You can also get omega-3s in fish oil supplements from health food stores, chemists and supermarkets. But omega-3 fatty acids are thought to be less biologically active in supplement form, and supplements don't have the protein fish does.