This fish contains substances that are valuable for the body.
The results of a 2023 survey involving 1,600 people showed that of all fish products, Russians most often prefer mackerel and herring. They were chosen by 46% of respondents. Moreover, the authors of the survey noted that the preferences of Russians have not changed over the past five years.
Let’s figure out what the benefits of mackerel are, which not long ago became the heroine of a meme song.
What is the nutritional composition of mackerel?
Fish is often touted as a healthy food. Health experts in the UK and US recommend eating at least two portions of fish per week, 85–140 g each, and one of them should be fatty. Better yet, both.
Mackerel is a fatty fish. 100 g contains about 1–1.8 g of the healthiest omega-3 fatty acids — eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic. Scientists suggest that these substances can reduce inflammation in the body, which accompanies many diseases, including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases.
Mackerel also contains various minerals , water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins.
| Content of substances per 100 g of product | Raw mackerel | Mackerel fried, baked, grilled | Recommended daily allowance for adults |
| Caloric content, kcal | 205 | 262 | – |
| Protein, g | 18.6 | 23.8 | – |
| Fats, g | 13.9 | 17.8 | – |
| Omega-3 fatty acids, g | 2.5 | 1.3 | 1.1–1.6 |
| Eicosapentaenoic acid, g | 0.8 | 0.5 | – |
| Docosahexaenoic acid, g | 0.2 | 0.1 | – |
| Calcium, mg | 12 | 15 | 700 |
| Iron, mg | 1.6 | 1.5 | 8.7–14.8 |
| Magnesium, mg | 76 | 97 | 270–300 |
| Potassium, mg | 314 | 401 | 3,500 |
| Phosphorus, mg | 217 | 278 | 550 |
| Thiamine, mg | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.8–1 |
| Riboflavin, mg | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.1–1.3 |
| Vitamin B12, mcg | 8.7 | 19 | 1.5 |
| Vitamin B6, mg | 0.3 | 0.4 | 1.2–1.4 |
| Vitamin A, retinol, mcg | 50 | 54 | 600–700 |
| Vitamin E, mg | 1.5 | – | 3–4 |
| Vitamin D, IU | 643 | – | 400–800 |
Thus, the benefits of mackerel may lie not only in omega-3, but also in protein, B vitamins, magnesium and phosphorus.
Is there any benefit in mackerel
A scientific article from the American Heart Association found that eating two servings of fish per week reduces the risk of congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, and sudden cardiac death.
An analysis of large cohort studies also found that eating 175g of fatty fish per week reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease, but only in those who already had vascular problems. In healthy people, there was no protective effect from such a diet .
Interestingly, there is one small study specifically on mackerel. In this experiment, elderly people were fed fish cutlets, meatballs, and hamburgers for three months. The participants ate four to five servings of mackerel per week, and by the end of the experiment, their vascular endothelial function had significantly improved. This is the layer of cells that regulates the narrowing and widening of blood vessels. However, no other heart health parameters changed.
The Cochrane analysis also did not provide a definitive answer as to whether fish can actually reduce the risk of heart disease. As for supplements with omega-3 fatty acids, scientists have determined that dietary supplements either do not reduce the risks at all, or do so only slightly. As for fish, there is too little scientific research to draw conclusions.
Fish rich in omega-3 fats may also reduce the risk of brain-related diseases such as dementia , Alzheimer’s disease, and depression . However, scientists still don’t have a clear understanding of how much fish you need to eat to protect yourself from these conditions.
So, mackerel can be good for the heart and brain. But you shouldn’t place great hopes on it and certainly not perceive it as some kind of medicine.
Can mackerel be harmful?
Like other fish , mackerel can be contaminated with heavy metals. For example, in one study , scientists found increased mercury levels in canned fish. However, even such mackerel will not cause harm if consumed at 150 g per week. In conclusion, the authors advised pregnant women not to eat more than one serving per week, so as not to increase the risks.
In another study, scientists tested 1,245 mackerel fish caught in the north-east Atlantic. After testing the fish for heavy metals, they found that only 0.24% and 0.16% of the samples exceeded the maximum levels of cadmium and mercury in Europe. Arsenic and lead were within the limits.
Mackerel is unlikely to poison you with heavy metals. But if you are pregnant, you should still be careful and limit yourself to two portions of fatty fish per week.
As for other possible harm, it is worth limiting the consumption of salted mackerel . The World Health Organization recommends eating less than 2 g of sodium per day. And 100 g of salted mackerel contains about 4.4 g of this mineral.
This does not mean that salted fish should be declared harmful and eliminated from the diet. Just do not eat it too often and try to exclude other salty products from your diet on these days.
As for smoked mackerel, one study showed that vitamins, both water- and fat-soluble, do not suffer much from this type of processing. Vitamin C suffered the biggest losses from hot smoking, decreasing by 4%. But mackerel is not the best source of ascorbic acid, and it is unlikely that anyone eats it to protect against scurvy.
But vitamins D, A, E, niacin and riboflavin are preserved almost in full. So if you like smoked mackerel, do not deny yourself the pleasure.
