Nutritional composition of mackerel

Mackerel is a food rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. The fish meat is delicious but not too strong, making mackerel a favorite dish of many people. You can add this food to your diet for many health benefits.

Mackerel is often compared to tuna because they share many of the same characteristics: they are large oily fish with firm flesh and are popular canned foods. Besides, both of these fish are fishes of the family Scombridae. However, mackerel is smaller and has a shorter lifespan than tuna.
Mackerel is an oily fish, rich in taste. Currently, there are 21 species of mackerel, but not all of them are widely consumed. The Atlantic mackerel is one of the more popular varieties. According to USDA, the nutritional composition in 100g of mackerel includes:
Calories: 189 Fat: 11.9g Sodium: 89mg Carbohydrate: 0g Fiber: 0g Sugar: 0g Protein: 19g Look at the ingredients above You can see that mackerel does not contain any amount of carbohydrates, fiber or sugar. However, these concentrations can be added to mackerel if it is fried or breaded.
In terms of fat, mackerel provides almost 12 grams of fat per 100-gram serving. About 3 grams is saturated fat, 4.5 grams is monounsaturated fat, and 2.9 grams is polyunsaturated fat. Besides, mackerel is high in omega-3 fatty acids. According to USDA data, one serving provides 0.77 grams of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 1.25 grams of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Both of these important fatty acids are mainly absorbed from food, as very little is produced by the body.
Mackerel also provides a small amount of the lesser known omega-3 fatty acid known as DPA (docosapentaenoic acid). A 100-gram serving of fish will contain about 0.18 grams. Mackerel caught in different regions and at different times of the year can provide different amounts of fat.

About protein: Mackerel is a complete protein with a 100-gram serving providing 19 grams of macronutrients including all nine essential amino acids.
About vitamins and minerals: Vitamin B12 in mackerel is very good for health in general and heart health in particular. Besides, mackerel also provides niacin, iron, vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorus, folate and selenium.
In addition to the above nutrients, mackerel can also be a good source of vitamin D. In addition to milk, oily fish is often considered a good source of these nutrients. According to USDA data, one serving of mackerel contains 13.8 mcg - which can be converted to about 552 international units (IU). The National Institutes of Health states that we get 600 IU of vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.

Studies have shown heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats (including the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA). This nutrient may help reduce the incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease. Many studies have also shown that fish oil supplements can help reduce triglycerides without raising other types of cholesterol.
MORE: Omega-3 fish oil supplements for people with cardiovascular disease
To prevent heart disease, doctors may recommend that patients with coronary heart disease take fish oil supplements to get enough of the important omega-3s . In addition, the American Heart Association recommends that people eat fish at least twice a week to reduce their risk of heart disease.

Eating seafood will help prevent cognitive decline in the elderly. Fish also provide EPA and DHA, which help improve cognitive loss and intellectual decline in people with mild Alzheimer's disease.

Like many other marine fish, some nutrients in mackerel help prevent anemia caused by nutritional deficiencies such as iron, vitamin B12 and some folate. A deficiency in any of these micronutrients can lead to anemia. Symptoms of anemia include muscle weakness, vision problems, fatigue, and other serious complications like infertility.

According to experts, eating more polyunsaturated fats reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. Conversely, if you eat a lot of foods containing saturated fat, it will lead to type 2 diabetes. Accordingly, mackerel contains a lot of healthy omega-3 acids, so you should eat fish twice a week. to improve overall health and prevent disease.

Like many other seafood, mackerel can cause some allergies, the most serious being anaphylaxis. As noted, many cases of histamine poisoning - a type of food poisoning can be confused with scombroid poisoning. Mackerel is naturally high in histamine. If the fish is spoiled, bacterial overgrowth will increase the histamine content and the potential for histamine toxicity. Symptoms can occur any time from 5 minutes to 2 hours after taking.
Symptoms of histamine poisoning closely resemble those of a common food allergy. Symptoms may include wheezing, tongue swelling, diarrhea, fainting, and nausea. However, when a group of people eat the same food with the above symptoms, there is a higher chance of histamine poisoning than food poisoning. Besides, mackerel is one of the types of fish that contains a lot of mercury and should be consumed in limited quantities during pregnancy and lactation to avoid harm to the baby. Current recommendations provided by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggest that women should follow the FDA's recommendation to consume 2-3 servings of fish per week. In addition, to be safe, you should choose fresh mackerel, not fishy or sour. The characteristics of fresh mackerel are firm flesh, clear eyes and glossy body. Fresh mackerel can be sold frozen, but it must still be fresh.
You should store raw mackerel on the refrigerator freezer immediately after buying or not using it. Process fish within 2 days. Always wash your hands with soapy water after handling raw seafood. Clean countertops, cutting boards and utensils after preparing raw fish to avoid cross-contamination from raw food to cooked food.

References: menshealth.com, verywellfit.com