Small oily fish eaten whole — bones, calcium and all.
Sprats are small herring-family fish eaten whole. Because you eat the bones, they supply calcium in a way fillets never do.
Oily fish store fat in the flesh rather than the liver, which is what
makes them the useful source of EPA and DHA — the long-chain omega-3 fats behind almost
every fish-and-heart headline.
Two portions of fish a week, at least one of them oily,
is the standard advice across most national guidelines, and it is one of the better-supported
dietary recommendations there is.
Per 100g cooked. Oil content varies with season and whether the fish is wild or farmed.
Based on the nutrients and fibre this food supplies. These are supporting foods, not treatments.
Do not overcook it. When the flesh turns opaque and flakes under light
pressure, take it off. Most people who dislike fish have mostly eaten it
overcooked.
Tinned counts. Tinned oily fish carries the same omega-3 as
fresh, keeps for years, and costs a fraction.
Acid at the end, not the
start. Lemon before cooking begins firming the flesh.
Fresh smells of
the sea, not of fish. A strong fishy smell means it is past its best.
EPA and DHA are the two omega-3 fats that matter, and fish is effectively the only
substantial dietary source. Plant omega-3 (ALA, from flax and walnuts) converts to EPA and DHA
at a rate of only a few percent.
The best-established effect is on triglycerides, where
the reduction is consistent and dose-dependent. Effects on heart attacks and mood are real but
smaller and more contested than the supplement industry suggests. DHA's role in brain and
retinal structure is not contested at all, which is why fish matters particularly in
pregnancy.
Gout or high uric acid: this is a high-purine fish and a reliable
flare trigger.
Pregnancy: low in mercury, so two to three portions a week is
generally advised rather than restricted. Cook it through — no raw or undercooked fish in
pregnancy.
Shellfish allergy is separate from fish allergy. They are
different proteins.
This is information, not a prescription. If you are managing a diagnosed condition or taking medication, talk to your doctor before making a large change to your diet.
Nutrition figures on this page come from standard food composition data. These links let you check the numbers and read the underlying research yourself rather than taking our word for it.