Recent study suggests that older patients can avoid the risk of stroke by eating broiled or baked fish. In the study, researchers found those who ate fish; one to four times a week had 28% less risk of developing an irregular heartbeat(known as atrial fibrillation), than those who ate fish less than once a month. And people who ate five or more servings had even greater benefit – as their risk was lowered by 31%. However the fish cooked had to be broiled or baked rather than fried.
This study covered over 4800 people who were over 65 years or older and followed up for 12 years from 1989 . The findings come from a large study conducted by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute on cardiovascular health. The benefits were attributed due to the high levels of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish (such as tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines) most likely when it was broiled or baked rather than fried. Fried fish and fish sandwiches, which are usually made of lean white fish like cod and pollock, do not contain significant amounts of these heart-healthy acids and do not protect a person from irregular heart beats.
