Fish as a health food with special reference to chronic diseases

Abstract

Fish is one of the healthiest functional foods from the aquatic ecosystems of the world. Fish is uniquely more beautiful when it grows older in age. The saying-“eat fish and live longer “might have many reasons. Fish is a rich source of many vital nutrients such as high-quality protein, peptides, lipid, carbohydrate, minerals and vitamins. Fish lipids contain essential fatty acids that have many roles not only in human growth and development but also in prevention and amelioration of chronic diseases. Fish protein consists of all the essential amino acids. All these components along with minerals and vitamins with their different functions and antioxidant properties make fish an important functional food. On the other hand, with the development of modern civilization, technology, agribusiness involving dry food grains and food production, and changing environment have resulted in changes of our foods and lifestyles depriving us of our physical works. Foods containing saturated fats, cholesterols, trans fats, toxic substances have resulted in health problems. Incidence of chronic diseases such as heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, dementia, autoimmune and anti-inflammatory diseases etc. are now common in both developing and developed countries of the world. Right nutrition and physical activities are the key to good health. Hence the present paper is to review and discuss the benefits of fish consumption in prevention and amelioration of chronic diseases and promotion of human health.