3 Excellent Ways To Prepare Fish That's Great For Your Heart

Fish Offers Numerous Nutrients When It Is Cooked Properly 

Fish is a nutritious protein food that dietitians recommend eating several times a week. However, you must prepare fish in particular ways to provide the most benefits for your heart. While you might buy a healthy type of fish at the supermarket, you can ruin the food with the wrong types of cooking methods. First, make sure to buy the most nutritious fresh, frozen or canned fish at a local grocery store. Here are some types of nutritious fish available at supermarkets:

• Rainbow trout
• Mackerel
• Perch 
• Herring 
• Tuna
• Cod
• Salmon 

Use fresh fish as soon as possible because this food spoils quickly. Fish contains several nutrients, including: 

• Vitamin B2
• Calcium
• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Potassium
• Iodine
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Iron
• Magnesium 

To prepare fish in a healthy way that preserves the nutritional value, you should use one of three cooking methods. 

Fish Cooking Method 1: Steaming Fish 

If you want to have tasty fish for lunch or dinner, then learn how to steam this food. Buy a specialized steaming basket that is made of metal or bamboo. You will place this device over a pan or skillet that is filled with water. When you set the skillet or pan on a stove’s burner, the steam from the boiling water cooks the fish without removing any nutrients. In addition, the steam doesn’t add any calories from cooking oils. You can cook fish without any seasonings, but you can also rub in flavorings such as garlic, pepper or chili powder. It is possible to place the fish directly in the steamer basket, but many chefs recommend wrapping it in aluminum foil first. Most fresh fish will steam in five to nine minutes, but frozen fish takes longer to cook. 

Fish Cooking Method 2: Grilling Fish

Another healthy way to prepare fish is by grilling it outside over wood chips or charcoal. Make sure to only use your grill outside, and keep the fish refrigerated until it is time to cook the food. You can make a marinade for fish to give it additional flavor without making it a high calorie meal. You can mix your marinade ingredients in a glass bowl or plastic bag. Make a fish marinade with these ingredients:

• Lemon juice
• Olive oil
• Garlic cloves
• Pepper
• Salt 
• Basil

By marinating the fish for several hours, it will have a delicious flavor. To keep the fish from falling through the grill’s metal slats, use a grilling basket that holds the food inside. It takes only a few minutes to grill fish, and you can cook extra to refrigerate for meals later in the week. 

Fish Cooking Method 3: Baking Fish

Baking fish in an oven is an excellent way to cook this food. You can use a glass or ceramic dish to bake fish in a traditional oven. To keep the fish from sticking to the bottom of the dish, use a small amount of olive oil. You can cook pieces of fish plain, or you may want to add other ingredients, including herbs or sliced vegetables. Some of the vegetables that taste great with baked fish include bell peppers or tomatoes. Bake fish at a medium-high temperature for approximately 20 minutes. The baked fish tastes fantastic with side dishes such as brown rice or dark leafy green salads. 

Heart Failure is Rising in the United States

For many people, heart failure is one of the riskiest problems that can face them, especially if they have a family history of heart disease. Proper dieting and exercise can alleviate most types of heart failure risks, but the struggle is always constant. In recent studies according to the American Heart Association, professionals have found that heart disease and failure rates have been on the rise steadily in the United States. This can spell trouble for many families that do not prioritize their heart health in their lifestyles, and that same report had also said that the prevalence of heart disease was the leading cause of death in all types of people living in the United States.

Heart failure is characterized by a condition where the heart is simply too tired or weak to keep up with the necessary blood pumping through the body. The number of adults who have experienced heart failure has been rising over the past five years, reaching 800,000 over the period. This is setting a worrying trend, as it means that the number of adults who experience heart failure is mathematically expected to increase by another 46 percent by the year 2030. This means that another 8 million people are expected to experience heart failure by that time. 

Professionals have cited a number of reasons for the growing number of people with heart failure. Some of the most common factors include the general increase of an aging population and the growing number of survivors who have already experienced a heart attack in the past. These people are at an increased risk for developing heart failure because the heart will already be weakened as a result of the previous attack. Cardiovascular illnesses include various types of heart disease, as well as high blood pressure and even stroke. Those who feel as though they are at risk of such illnesses should be sure to manage their symptoms through the proper lifestyle changes.

Speaking with a medical professional can be one of the surest ways for individuals to reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease, but all those at risk should take the time to assess their lifestyle and think about what they can do to improve their outlook.

Always begin by assessing your diet and the food that you eat. Cutting out unnecessary calories and sugars is one of the best ways for you to get your metabolism under control. Eating foods that can help you cut down on your cholesterol, such as oats and other foods rich in fiber, can be invaluable in reducing your risk of disease.

Try to lead an active lifestyle as well. Though going to the gym can be difficult to regularly maintain for those who lead a busy life, it is important to find time to fit in some type of physical activity. Go on walks more often when you can, and try to stretch when you are not mobile.

Finally, be sure to limit the stress in your life. Stress can increase your risk for heart disease and reduce the effectiveness of lifestyle treatments and changes. Managing your stress can be one of the best ways for you to reduce your risk of heart disease and improve your outlook in the future.