Indonesian people would be familiar with anchovies. For most people, eating warm rice with fried anchovies has become a pleasure in itself. Well, did you know despite the mini size, anchovy has a myriad of benefits that make you want to more often eat this fish? What are the benefits of anchovy for the health of the body.
The benefits of anchovies are a pity to miss
- Rich in omega-3 fatty acids
Anchovy contains high omega-3 fatty acids that play an important role to maintain heart health to brain function.
In fact, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2006 found that eating two servings of fish oil each week can reduce the risk of death from heart disease by 36 percent.
The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fatty fish every week to meet the needs of your omega-3 fatty acids.
- Support bone health
Anchovy is a food source that contains high calcium. Quoted from the Health Detik page, Fiastuti Witjaksono, a clinical nutrition specialist from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, said that anchovy contains about 500 mg to 972 mg of calcium.
This high calcium content is excellent for keeping bones healthy and strong. Not only calcium, anchovies also contain vitamin K, magnesium, and phosphorus as well as to maintain bone health. Eating anchovy during breastfeeding can even prevent women from early osteoporosis.
- Good protein source
Protein is one of the most important nutrients that can help build muscle and tissue. In addition, the protein also serves to produce important enzymes and hormones in the body.
Per 100 grams of anchovy contains 16 grams of protein. Combining anchovies with other protein-rich foods will help you meet your daily protein needs.
In addition to high protein, anchovy is known to be low in calories. This may be the perfect choice if you are planning to lose weight.
- Low mercury
Mercury is a type of heavy metal waste from factory and household waste. In water, mercury turns into a substance called methylmercury that binds to protein in fish muscle.
If you eat fish or other seafood containing mercury, then the mercury content in the fish meat will enter your body. Long-term mercury buildup can cause health problems, such as mercury poisoning to even nerve damage, especially in infants and children.
The good news is that the mercury content in anchovies is among the lowest among other fish and seafood products. That's why anchovies can be a safe and nutritious food choice for consumption.
Be careful, the anchovy is high in salt content
The benefits of anchovy is unquestionable, but eating too much can be detrimental to health.
Most of the anchovy is processed by marinated. This high salt content can cause health problems, such as hypertension. In people who already have high blood pressure, most eating salty foods can aggravate the condition.