In a recent study Frontiers in nutrition Journal, researchers compared the effects of sardine consumption and fish oil supplements.
Research: Eating more sardines than fish oil supplements: Beyond omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, a matrix of nutrients with cardiovascular benefits. Image credit: mythja/Shutterstock.com
Background
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) are important for the prevention and control of cardiometabolic diseases associated with mild chronic inflammation, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, fatty liver disease, and hypertension.
The effectiveness of n-3 PUFA supplements in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events is still a research topic. Sardines are a cost-effective source of n-3 PUFA and may reduce the need for n-3 PUFA supplementation.
Micronutrients in sardines
Sardine is a rich source of calcium, which contains more than other fish. Approximately 100 grams of sardines provide 38% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of calcium.
Sardines are a good source of n-3 PUFA and have a positive effect on blood pressure and lipid profile. Sardines contain potassium, zinc and magnesium, which have been observed to reduce blood pressure. They also contain niacin and zinc, which help improve lipid and lipoprotein levels.
Sardines are a good source of iron, higher than other commonly eaten fish. Sardines contain about the same amount of iron as meat.
Sardine consumption can also help individuals meet the RDA for iron, which is eight mg/d in all age groups. This is especially useful for people who do not eat meat.
Functional amino acids in sardines
Sardines contain amino acids such as arginine and taurine that are important for cardiometabolism. These amino acids are structural biomolecules and modulators of vascular function and antioxidant systems.
Arginine is an essential amino acid that maintains stable blood pressure and overall vascular health. It acts as a substrate for synthesizing endothelium-derived nitric oxide, which helps lower systemic blood pressure. Although there is limited clinical evidence on the relationship between arginine consumption and cardiovascular outcomes, a sardine diet may facilitate overall arginine consumption.
Taurine, an amino sulfonic acid, plays various biochemical roles. Its antioxidant activity has been shown to positively affect the cardiovascular system, leading to clinical benefits such as normalization of blood pressure and improvement of lipid and glycemic indices.
The taurine content in sardines is 147 mg per 100 grams, comparable to tuna, beef, pork and dark meat chicken. Interventions on a sardine-rich diet showed higher taurine intake than control groups.
A comparison between sardines and n-3 PUFA supplements
Although sardines and other oily fish are important sources of n-3 PUFA, patient compliance can be challenging.
However, fish oil supplementation may not be a universal solution to all such issues. Research suggests that supplementing fish oil with n-3 PUFA may not always be effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular events or may be beneficial in preventing cardiovascular events and death, including coronary heart disease, stroke, and arrhythmia.
Fish oil supplements are expected to contain more refined 3-PUFA and be free of toxic contaminants. However, due to exposure to high temperatures during cooking and preparation, some n-3 PUFA oxidation is preserved in fish.
Fried and baked oily fish can increase bioactive oxidized n-3 PUFA products, especially those derived from DHA in F-4t-neuroprostheses. Cooked oily fish produces cholesterol oxidation products, including cholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol.
Importantly, cholestanetriol is a very cytotoxic cholesterol oxidation product. Cooked oily fish has more n-6 PUFA than raw fish, thereby increasing the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio.
The effect of the gastrointestinal system on n-3 PUFA oxidation is a concern for sardine and fish oil-based supplements, which may limit their bioavailability.
Studies have found beneficial effects of consuming n-3 PUFA from fish, despite oxidation. Therefore, the positive effect of fish consumption on the general population cannot be ignored.
Summary
The findings of the study show that sardine has great potential as a functional food and can help in the management of cardiometabolic diseases with an immunological background.
In addition, sardines are rich in n-3 PUFA and other important nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, iron, taurine and arginine, known for their cardioprotective effects.
Clinical caution is important when giving nutritional recommendations, because the therapeutic dose may differ from the amount of nutrients found in food due to the complex physiological relationship between micronutrients, fatty acids and amino acids.
Randomized clinical trials are necessary to extend the data on sardine consumption and to determine whether eating sardines is more beneficial than taking supplements.
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