Summer
health

Fish is good for your health

In Finland, a lot of fish is eaten during the summer. It has many positive health effects. Fish provides numerous nutrients that the body cannot produce on its own.

Eat fish at least twice a week

Fish contains health-promoting unsaturated fats, several vitamins and minerals, and plenty of protein. Fish is a particularly good source of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. It also provides selenium, vitamin B12, iodine, potassium, and phosphorus.

The National Nutrition Council recommends that

fish should be eaten at least twice a week
a variety of different fish species should be eaten
sustainably caught and farmed fish should be favoured.

Fish is an important source of vitamin D

The fat-soluble vitamin D is important for the development and function of bones and teeth. Vitamin D is also essential for metabolism, regulation of the body's immune system, and the function of the nervous system and muscles.

Vitamin D is produced in the skin through the action of sunlight. At Finnish latitudes, vitamin D is synthesised in the skin between April and September, and most reliably when the sun is high in the sky, i.e. around midday.

Eating fish improves blood lipid levels

Fish contains mainly unsaturated fats, i.e. mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids. One of the most important fatty acids is omega-3.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential for humans. They must be obtained through diet, as the body cannot produce them on its own.

Mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids help improve blood lipid levels and reduce mortality from cardiovascular disease.

The health benefits outweigh the harms of environmental toxins

Some fish species may contain higher than usual levels of environmental toxins harmful to health, such as PFAS compounds, dioxins, PCBs, and mercury.

However, it is not worth being overly cautious about avoiding such species. Fish consumption should not be reduced or stopped, as the benefits of eating fish outweigh the potential harms of environmental toxins.

The species of fish matters more than the quantity

Environmental toxins do not accumulate in all fish species, so the choice of species can influence one's level of exposure.

The choice of fish species is particularly important for children, young people, those of childbearing age, pregnant individuals, and breastfeeding individuals.

A developing body is more susceptible to harmful effects than an adult body.
Some environmental toxins can pass through the placenta to the foetus, or reach the infant through breast milk.
Environmental toxins accumulate in the body over time. The earlier exposure begins, the greater the burden can become over a lifetime.

Exceptions to the general fish consumption recommendations

Due to environmental toxins, the Finnish Food Authority has issued some exceptions to the general fish consumption recommendations.

Dioxins and PCB compounds accumulate particularly in fatty fish from the Baltic Sea. Therefore, children, young people, and those of childbearing age should eat large Baltic herring, salmon, or trout caught from the Baltic Sea only 1–2 times a month. Others can eat these species, as well as small Baltic herring, without concern.

Mercury accumulates particularly in predatory fish. Therefore,

children, young people, and those of childbearing, i.e. reproductive age should eat pike caught from lakes or the sea only 1–2 times a month
pregnant individuals and breastfeeding individuals should not eat pike at all
those who eat freshwater fish on a daily basis should, in addition to pike, reduce their consumption of large perch, pikeperch, and burbot.

Others can eat these species without concern.

Summer health