Fish Helps Protect the Brain

Nutrition experts have long recommended at least two servings of cold-water fish each week to help protect against cardiovascular disease. A new study shows that this type of diet has a small but significant effect against stroke. The research results are from a meta-analysis of 38 studies that included nearly 800,000 people. Those who ate fish at least twice weekly were 6 percent less likely to suffer a stroke, while those consuming fish five times a week or more were 12 percent less likely to have a stroke than those who don’t eat fish. Taking fish oil did not provide similar benefits. Researchers were puzzled by this, but they suggest that nutritional guidelines are ideally based on actual food.
[BMJ, Oct. 30, 2012]