Five Reasons To Eat Fish #RealSolutions

I will be the first to admit, I have not always been a lover of fish. I think it is because my mom made us eat so much fish when I was a kid and I just got sick of it. When I decided to get healthy this year, that meant changing my diet and becoming more active. It was recommended by my doctor as part of my new healthy diet, I should include fish. I decided if I was going to add fish to my diet, I wanted to know why it was so healthy. Here are just a reasons to eat fish:

5 Top Reasons To Eat Fish

1. Omega Fats: Omega Fats are good for us and we can get them in our diet from such sources as flax seeds and walnuts. However, two of the long chain Omega Fats we need in our diet which can be found in fish are EPA and DHA. Omega fats, especially those from fish, are known to lower your cholesterol, which I have as did my mom. This is a big risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which is what we think led to my mom’s death last year. This is a big deal to me and it makes fish look more attractive as a meal option.
2. Save Your Eyesight: Since turning 40, I began to wear reading glasses. I would prefer to keep my eyesight intact and fish can help avoid such conditions as macular degeneration. This is the most common cause of loss of eyesight in the elderly. My mom had corrective eye surgery when she was 74 and I do not want the same thing for myself. If eating fish can prevent that, fish is looking better all the time!
3. Heart Hearty: My grandfather and older brother both died of a heart attack and both were barely 60 years old. Eating fatty fish 1-2 times per week has been shown to cut your risk of heart disease by more than 35%. This is a big deal to me and I will eat more fish in order to lower my chances of having heart disease.
4. Reduce Risk Of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Another disease that runs in my family is RA and eating fatty fish can cut your risk for RA in half. Eating fish can also reduce inflammation, which can be one of the more painful symptoms of arthritis.
5. Lower Your Risk Of Dementia: My uncle and mom both had dementia before their deaths. My uncle had severe dementia while mom’s was minimal and may have been connected to her stroke. Eating fatty fish 1-2 times per week has shown to lower the risk of dementia; more so with Alzheimer’s disease. Again, a big one for me as I would like to keep my wits about me for as long as I can.

I must admit, after seeing how incredibly healthy fish is, I have made a commitment to eating it at least once a week. When I was sent a handful of coupons and an awesome wooden cutting board from Gorton’s Seafood, it was perfect timing! My kids have always loved eating the Crispy Battered Fish Fillets from Gorton’s. My husband and I decided to make fish tacos with them using a little low fat tartar sauce and lettuce on a whole wheat tortilla, making it a heart healthy and delicious meal.

We were excited to try Gorton’s new Artisan Recipe Fillets, which are made with real Alaska Pollock. The fish is flaky and light and are accented with such mind blowing ingredients like chilies, peppercorn, garlic and lemon. You can choose from 4 flavors: Southwest Tortilla, Lemon and Cracked Peppercorn, Southern Style and our favorite choice, the Roasted Garlic and Italian Herb.  We diced the Roasted Garlic and Italian Herb Artisan Recipe Fillets and roasted red peppers and added them to whole wheat penne pasta tossed with a little olive oil and garlic. The flavors were bold and bright and it made me eager to try more of the Artisan Recipe Fillets! You can find a ton of recipes on the Gorton’s website along with a coupon to try the new Artisan Recipe Fillets, which can be found in your grocer’s freezer. Be sure to follow Gorton’s on Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube. One USA reader will win 2 coupons for free Gorton’s products and a Gorton’s wooden cutting board $25.

Which new Gorton’s Artisan Recipe Fillets are you most excited to try?