It may seem counterintuitive at first glance but, did you know that cooking fatty fish in camelina oil can actually be good for the heart?

This is according to a new study which found that eating fatty fish such as salmon, trout or mackerel can actually increase the size and lipid composition of High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol in people — specifically, those with impaired glucose metabolism These changes in the size and lipid composition of HDL particles make them especially beneficial for cardiovascular health.

In addition, similar benefits can be found in Camelina sativa (C. sativa) oil, which has been found to help decrease the amount of Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol in the blood.

The researchers built their study on earlier findings which found that large HDL particles can help reduce one’s risk of developing heart disease and that the opposite — that is, having smaller HDL particles — can actually increase one’s heart disease risk.

They started by observing 79 participants, all of whom were aged between 40 and 72 and with impaired glucose metabolism. These participants were randomly divided into four groups, which were then subjected to a 12-week intervention: the camelina oil group, the fatty fish group, the lean fish group, and the control group.

People in the lean and fatty fish groups, the researchers said, were instructed to eat lean or fatty fish four times a week, while the people in the camelina oil group were asked to use 30 milliliters of the oil daily. Participants in the control group, on the other hand, were allowed to eat fish once a week. But they were prohibited from using camelina oil and other oils containing alpha-linolenic acid, such as rapeseed oil.

The researchers found that eating fatty fish increased the size and lipid composition of HDL particles, while the use of camelina oil decreased the number of Intermediate Density Lipoprotein (IDL) particles in their blood. IDL, according to experts, is a precursor to LDL cholesterol and is thus considered to be harmful to the body. Eating lean fish, on the other hand, was not associated with changes in the number, size, or composition of lipoprotein particles.

According to the researchers, the documented effects of both fatty fish consumption and camelina oil use can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in people.

What makes fatty fish so healthy?

Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, trout and mackerel are considered to be some of the healthiest — not to mention tastiest — foods you can add to your diet, mainly because of their impressive nutrient content.

Where fatty fish shine best, however, is in their omega-3 fatty acid content, which many experts have linked to optimal cardiovascular health.

Aside from helping with heart-related issues and concerns, many studies have also linked fatty fish to the following health benefits:

• Optimal eye health
• Reduced instances of chronic inflammation
• Healthy skin and hair
• Reductions in liver fat
• Management of symptoms related to depression
• Management of hyperactivity in children
• Management of asthma symptoms
• Healthy bone development

Love getting your fill of sushi and sashimi? Well, you’re in luck because as a rule, experts generally recommend eating two portions of oily or fatty fish — as well as other omega-3 fatty acid-rich seafood — per week.

Some of the healthy fish and seafood you can add to your diet are the following:

• Wild-caught organic salmon
• Mackerel
• Herring
• Lake trout
• Rainbow trout
• Arctic char
• Anchovies
• Sardines
• Albacore tuna
• Oysters

What makes camelina oil good for the heart?

Camelina oil is a superfood whose long and colorful history can be traced back to the Bronze Age.

Produced from the seeds of Camelina sativa, a flowering plant from the Brassicaceae family, camelina oil is rich in important nutrients, such as vitamin E, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, making it one of the most nutritious and heart-friendly oils on the market today.

In addition, because of its nutrient-rich nature, it’s not surprising to find that camelina oil has been linked to a pretty impressive slate of health benefits, such as the following:

• Protects the body against oxidative damage
• Prevents chronic inflammation in the body
• Supports healthy skin and hair development
• Helps prevent cognitive decline
• Helps prevent neurodegenerative diseases and conditions
• Supports a healthy immune system

Those who spend most of their time cooking may find camelina oil to be a particularly versatile item in their kitchen.

This is because unlike other edible oils, camelina oil has an impressively high smoke point of 475°F (246°C), which means it can be used for deep-frying and baking at sustained, high temperatures.

Cooking with fatty fish and camelina oil

Looking to for ways to cook with fatty fish and camelina oil to help boost your cardiovascular health? Try the following recipes.

Garlic Butter Baked Salmon

This recipe is a complete meal in itself, this recipe brings together healthy, omega-3-rich salmon fillets with antioxidant-laden veggies, making it the perfect meal for a family lunch.

Ingredients:

• 4 6-ounce wild-caught salmon fillets
• 4 to 6 cups organic broccoli florets
• 4 cloves organic garlic, minced
• 6 tablespoons unsalted, grass-fed butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 lemon, halved, divided
• chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a sheet pan with organic cooking spray.
2. Arrange broccoli florets and salmon fillets on a prepared sheet pan. Rub minced garlic over each fillet then set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
4. Pour the butter mixture over the salmon and veggies.
5. Take half of a lemon and squeeze lemon juice over everything; then season with salt and pepper.
6. Bake salmon in a preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and the flesh flakes easily with a fork.
7. Remove from the oven and garnish with parsley. Serve with additional lemon slices.

Spanish Sardines on Toast

Want to go all Mediterranean? This sardine on toast recipe blends the wonderfully-rich and briny taste of sardines with the bite and tang of chili and lemons.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin organic olive oil
• 1 organic garlic clove, chopped
• 1 organic red chili, deseeded and chopped
• 1 organic lemon, zest and juice
• 2 120g cans organic sardines in sunflower oil, drained
• 4 slices whole-grain brown bread
• Parsley, chopped, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, then add the garlic clove and red chili. When the spices start to sizzle, add the lemon zest.
2. Add the sardines and heat through for a few mins until warm.
3. Toast the brown bread.
4. Stir the parsley into the sardines, add a squeeze of lemon juice, then divide between the toast and serve.

Fatty fish such as salmon and healthy oils like camelina are fast emerging as natural and efficient — not to mention delicious — ways to prevent issues such as heart disease, making them an important addition to anybody’s kitchen.

Try adding them to your meals to experience their impressive slate of health benefits for yourself and for your family!

Sources:

ScienceDaily.com

News-Medical.net

PubMed.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

NDTV.com

HealthLine.com

EcoWatch.com

DietHood.com

BBCGoodFood.com