Fish is a food that is commonly consumed in maritime areas. You can find many street stalls selling seafood like gelfilte fish, especially during the night time. Apart from its distinctive and delicious taste, there are many benefits that can be felt by the body because of the nutrients contained in them.

With easier access to one of these seafood, everyone should eat it more often. Do remember that eating fish often is good for brain health, since it’s a great food that is rich in protein and omega 3 fatty acids with a low saturated fat content, so it is good for someone who is on a diet as well. In addition, the content of vitamins and minerals in it is needed by the body to maintain health, like Swedish fish.

Fish can also be a good intake choice for pregnant women because it can help the development of the fetus and make a healthy pregnancy, in fact, many medical experts recommend consuming more fish because of the benefits received by the body.

There are people who like to eat canned fishes or the fresh ones, each with their own unique plus and minus. But the names of mackerel and sardines are still going on and on since many people out there still couldn’t find any difference between these two.

Even for fans of canned food, it can be difficult to tell the difference between sardines and mackerel, but although they look similar when they are in canned food, sardines and mackerel have several differences.

The two fish are species from different families, mackerel is still in the same family as tuna, namely Scombridae while sardines come from the Clupeidae family, which is the herring family.

These family differences make these two fish different in terms of size with mackerel generally having an average size of 35 to 45 cm with a weight of about 500 grams and this size is much larger than sardines. The small size of these sardines makes them packaged in a lot of cans.

Not only that, in terms of body shape, sardines only have one fin which is very short and is located near the middle of the back which is different from the mackerel that has seven to nine fins that run from the back to the tail.

And about the nutritional content, the two are blessed with them. This time, we’re gonna talk about the mackerel fish, a fish that’s said to be packed with vitamins, Omega 3, and protein for the kids’ growth. For you who still wonder about, here’s the benefits of mackerel for kids :

1. Supports Growth and Heart Health

Routine intake of mackerel to babies and children will reduce the risk of excess calories in the heart since it is a great source of protein which contains omega-3 fatty acids and is also low in total and saturated fat.

This meat-rich fish is able to increase heart protection which supports the growth of heart health and keeps children at risk of heart congestion.

High cholesterol is a condition in which fat builds up in your body which triggers narrowing of blood vessels, and fortunately, you can overcome this by eating foods that can lower cholesterol levels such as catfish and also mackerel.

Based on the study, 1,000 adults who ate mackerel for two weeks had an average lower cholesterol level than those who ate other than fish. In addition, they are advised to avoid intake of processed or junk food, exercise regularly, and manage stress to treat cholesterol problems.

2. Improves Fetal Brain Health during Pregnancy

All types of oily fish contain omega 3 which is very good for fetal development and the health of pregnant women. The benefits of mackerel for pregnant women are to increase the growth and development of the fetal brain in the stomach, improve intelligence, communication skills, and the visual system.

The DHA content in mackerel also plays a role in reducing the risk of autism, cerebral palsy, and developmental delays and further preventing harmful diseases risks.

3. Improves Blood Circulation

Eating mackerel regularly can improve blood circulation so that the body’s organs function properly. During the early stages of development, children will experience various developments continuously so it is important to make sure their blood circulation runs smoothly.

Mackerel is believed to be a type of fish whitefish that can control high blood pressure. The condition of high blood pressure forces the heart to work harder to pump blood around the body, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease.

Based on the study, 12 men who ate 3 cans of mackerel every day for 8 months experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure levels, but this research is still being developed, and apart from eating mackerel, you are also advised to eat foods that are rich in fiber, magnesium, potassium, and reduce sodium intake to keep blood pressure normal.

4. Strengthens Bones and Teeth

With the presence of calcium, potassium, selenium, magnesium in it, mackerel has benefits for strengthening bones and teeth in children, and therefore, it is important to include these food ingredients at the beginning of the kids’ growing period.

Mackerel contains a great source of vitamin D to improve bone health and strength by helping metabolize calcium and phosphorus. Apart from mackerel, other fish such as goldfish, salmon, rockfish, and halibut also contain high vitamin D content to meet daily needs.

5. Increases Immunity

This fish from the Scombridae family can help increase immunity in children so that they have a defense against viral and bacterial infections and  mackerel is also known to stimulate the growth of antibodies. With strong antibodies, it will help children to heal wounds and injuries quickly and could become more protected against various harmful diseases.