Sardines are small fishes which are normally sea fish. They are oily by nature and an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acid. These fish are found in abundance especially in the monsoon season. In this article, we will discuss the amazing sardines health benefits in detail.
In countries like India, one can get a fresh sardine fish easily in the market. However, in countries like Europe and America, they are mostly available in the canned form and are popularly known as the canned sardine fish.
There are different varieties of sardine fish and mostly based on their size they are of 2 types: the small and the large fish. However, the smaller fishes are usually liked by all and have more vitamins and essential nutrients as compared to the larger sardines.
Origin Of Sardine Fish
Although the exact origin of sardines are not known, however, it is believed to be one of the oldest species of fish that ever existed. They are mostly found in Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean along with the Mediterranean Sea.
Sardines have been known for ages in India as well where it is harvested on a large scale. Its popularity spread to the west only after the concept of canned storage was introduced. These fishes can be easily stored in canned containers and transported. Since then, it has become one of the favourite food for the Europeans and the Americans because of its nutritional components.
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Nutritional Value Of Sardine Fish
Sardine fish are good to taste and can be consumed not just as a main dish. It can be consumed as a starter or in the form of salad as well.
Sardines contain lot of essential minerals in them which are required by the human body. The common ones include phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and zinc. They are also rich in essential Vitamins, folate and omega-3 fatty acids.
Hence, they are considered to be one of the best food and the presence of vitamins and minerals contribute to the well-being of the human beings. Let’s have a quick look at Sardines Health Benefits.
Sardines Health Benefits
1. Reduces Risk Of Cancer
Cancer is a life-threatening disease and these days almost 1 in 1000 people suffer from some form of cancer. It is widely known that vitamin D and calcium are considered to be the best to eliminate this disease especially in case of colorectal cancer.
Sardines have Vitamin D and calcium in abundance. It is therefore advisable to include sardines in your diet regularly. Also, try to chew the small bones of the fish as they are the good source of calcium and potassium.
2. Prevents Heart Diseases
As discussed above, sardines are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acid. This omega-3 is considered to be vital for the human body.
The primary reason behind this is that it helps to breakdown cholesterol in the body and hence prevents the fat deposition in the heart. Similarly, it also helps to clear the blocked arteries. It reduces the blood clot as well and helps the heart to be healthy and carry on its normal functioning.
Therefore, it reduces the chances of heart disease and also keeps the blood pressure under check. It prevents heart stroke, cardiac arrest and any other heart diseases. Hence, consume sardine fish 2-3 times in a week and lead a longer and healthier life.
3. Increases Bone Strength
Sardines are a rich source of calcium and potassium. These two elements are extremely important for the bone health.
In case you have weak bones or you have osteoporosis, which is a disease of the bones, it is ideal to include sardines in your diet regularly.
4. Sardines Health Benefits Builds Immunity
A strong immune system keeps the diseases at bay. Sardines are oily fish and the oils present in sardines help to build immunity and keeps you aloof from diseases. The oil present in sardines helps to increase the immune cells in the body and hence you get a strong immune system.
5. Glowing Skin
Yes girls, you heard it right!!
Eat sardines regularly to get a glowing skin. Sardines are rich in good fat and consuming them on a regular basis helps in cellular level of the skin. It reduces any form of skin inflammation and the good fats present in it keeps your skin supple and nourished from within.
It is excellent for dry skin and instead of opting for fish liver oil tablets, you can consume sardine fish to see the difference within few weeks.
6. Beautiful Hair
Sardines are a rich source of proteins, a component which makes our hair shiny and glossy.
It is also said that your food choices should be right if you want to have a long and lustrous hair. Sardines are the right choice for you as they give strength and protein to the hair from within. This makes you root stronger and you easily get rid of hair problems including hair fall.
7. Rich Antioxidant
Sardines are a great source of antioxidant which helps to reduce the free radicals in the body.
The free radicals are the main reason behind several disease in the organs and the antioxidants present in this fish helps to fight against them and keeps you healthy all the time.
8. Fights Depression
These fishes help to prevent mood swings and keeps you normal. There are people who have violent mood swings and ultimately go into depression. It is recommended that these people consume sardines on a daily basis. The omega-3 present in the fish stabilizes the mood swings and helps to prevent anxiety and depression.
9. Accelerates Brain Function
Sardines are a great food for the brain or in other words it can be said that it is a brain-friendly food.
Thanks to the good fat content present in this fish which is essential for the brain functions. Ironically human brain is made up of 50-60% of good fats and hence it makes sense that why this fish is extremely required by the brain.
10. Best Food
Sardines are considered to be the best food for the body. It is due to the fact that not only it is high in its nutritional values but also it has very less calories in it. This makes it an ideal diet to consume as frequently as possible.
11. Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance is a condition related to diabetes. It is a condition in which the insulin produced in the body does not break down the sugar levels thereby the person suffers from acute diabetes. The insulin produced in the body is not utilized properly by the cells. This, in turn, leads to accumulation of blood glucose in the body.
Sardines have proteins present in it which help to effectively control the insulin resistance in the body. Therefore, sardines are a must for diabetic people.
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12. Releases Energy In The Body
Sardine has a rare component present in it which is copper. Eating sardines regularly helps the body to meet its copper requirement which is useful to break down the carbohydrates to release energy from the body.
13. Less Ecological Impact
Not only do sardines contribute to the health benefits of human beings but also they are environment-friendly. As sardines are small fishes, they are at the bottom of the food chain. Sardines are known to feed on planktons only and hence they do not disturb the ecological balance in any way. Also, there are very less chances of these fishes to have higher traces of mercury in them. A research has stated that the mercury levels present in sardines are much less as compared to other fishes like Salmons and Tuna. Therefore, it is safe to consume sardines without any issue.
14. Reduces AMD
Age-related Macular Degeneration abbreviated as AMD is a condition in which the person is likely to have the vision and macular degeneration with each passing year. This symptom is more common in people above 50 years of age and they tend to lose sight slowly.
Sardines are packed with essential vitamins and minerals which help to restore the condition to normal and also prevents AMD in some people. Consuming this fish regularly will keep you away from AMD for a long period of time.
How To Consume Sardine Fish?
It is ideal to consume sardine fish in cooked form only. These fishes have a great taste and goes very well when tossed in mustard oil. However, health conscious people should cook it in olive oil and then have the same.
You can consume it as a side dish along with the main course or as a starter. Some people also prefer eating it as a salad along with other vegetables which is very healthy.
How To Store Sardine Fish?
If you are buying the fish fresh, then you can cook and consume it immediately as it is best when fresh. Also, you can store in a deep freezer and consume later. As far as canned fishes are concerned, they are available in different.
As far as canned fishes are concerned, they are available in different flavours. However, always check for the expiry date and the preservatives that have been added to them before consuming it. Storing fish in cans is in high demand these days and there are a lot of companies which are taking up the work.
Conclusion
Sardine fish is an excellent food for non-vegetarian diet. It is even recommended by doctors in certain diseases. It is one of the best fish available in the market in terms of health and beauty. Also, as it has a great taste, you can religiously savour on these small fishes.
Hope you have found the article on sardines health benefits useful. In the case of any suggestion or feedback, please share the same in the comments section below.
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