Save for its delicious taste, fish is a very important part of a healthy diet. Health experts advise to include fish to your diet, at least on a weekly basis.

Nutritionists say fish is loaded with important nutrients, including protein and vitamin D.

It is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are incredibly important for the body and brain.

Joseph Uwiragiye, head of nutrition department at University Teaching Hospital of Kigali (CHUK), says fish is packed with many nutrients that most people lack.

He says this includes high-quality protein, iodine, and various vitamins and minerals.

In fact, he says, fatty species such as salmon, sardines, and tuna are considered the healthiest because they are higher in fat-based nutrients.

In Rwanda, the main fish types include tilapia, catfish commonly known as inkube, small fish known as isambaza, among others.

Uwiragiye notes that such fish are healthy and people should consider eating them.

He notes fatty fish also boasts of omega-3 fatty acids, which are crucial for optimal body and brain function and strongly linked to a reduced risk of many diseases.

To meet your omega-3 requirements, he says, on should consider eating fatty fish at least once or twice a week.

Heart attacks and strokes are the two most common causes of death in the world.

However, fish is considered one of the most heart-healthy foods.

Studies show that people who eat fish regularly have a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes, and death from heart disease.

Erick Musengimana, a nutritionist at Rwanda Diabetes Association, Kigali, says omega-3 fatty acids are essential for growth and development.

He says the omega-3 fat is especially important for brain and eye development.

For this reason, he recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women should eat enough omega-3 fatty acids.

However, he cautions that some fish are high in mercury, which is linked to brain developmental problems.

Thus, pregnant women should only eat low-mercury fish, such as salmon, sardines but also limit their consumption per week.

"They should as well avoid raw and uncooked fish because it may contain microorganisms that can harm the foetus,” he adds.

Musengimana notes that fish is essential when it comes to brain function.

He notes that brain function often declines with ageing.

He says while the mild mental decline is normal, serious neurodegenerative ailments like Alzheimer’s disease also exist.

He says by eating more fish, it helps slow down the rate of mental decline.

When it comes to vitamin D, Uwiragiye says fish is a good dietary source of vitamin D.

He says that fish and fish products are among the best dietary sources of vitamin D.

Some fish oils, he says, are also very high in vitamin D, providing more than 200 per cent of the Daily Value (DV) in a single tablespoon.

Sleep disorders have become incredibly common worldwide. Uwiragiye says those with sleeping problems should consider consuming fish as it has been linked to good night sleep.

He explains that fatty fish may help improve sleep because they are a good source of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.

These two nutrients, he says, help regulate serotonin.

Serotonin is largely responsible for establishing a fixed sleeping and waking cycle. Fatty fish are typically also high in a few other sleep-promoting nutrients.

PREPARATION MATTERS

Since fish is delicious and easy to prepare, Private Kamanzi, a nutritionist at Amazon Cabinet Clinic, Kigali, says it should be relatively easy to incorporate it into your diet.

He says one can choose to fry, boil or steam alongside other vegetables or even grains.

However, he cautions that the way one cooks their fish can change its nutritional composition, so he notes that some cooking methods may be better for your health than others.

He says, for instance, frying fish can increase the amount of fat in the fish and negatively affect its ratio of omega-3.

If frying, he recommends pan-frying rather than deep fry, and using a healthy oil, like olive oil, is important.

Meanwhile, Kamanzi says microwaving fish can help prevent it from losing healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and may also cause fewer harmful compounds to form, thus making it a good method of preparing fish.

editor@newtimesrwanda.com