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Fish Twice a Week: Why Seafood Earns a Spot on Your Plate

By Weight Wire Editorial Team November 8, 2026 3 min read
Two plates seen from above, one with pan-seared fish, asparagus and couscous and one with grilled salmon, wild rice and broccolini

If you have ever wondered whether you should be eating more fish, the short answer is: a couple of times a week is a lovely goal. Fish is tasty, quick to cook and packed with protein. Here is why heart experts give it a gold star, and some easy ways to make it happen.

Why fish gets the nod

In 2018 the American Heart Association published a science advisory on seafood and heart health. Its main points were encouraging and simple:

  • One to two servings a week helps. Eating seafood once or twice a week was associated with lower rates of sudden cardiac death compared with eating little or none.
  • More is not necessarily better. There seemed to be little extra benefit at higher intakes.
  • A serving is small. It is about 3½ ounces cooked, or roughly three-quarters of a cup of flaked fish.
  • Fatty fish brings the most omega-3s. Salmon, sardines, trout and herring are good examples, but leaner fish and shellfish count too.

A fair note

Most of this evidence is observational, so it shows a link and does not prove cause. The advisory also found that the effects on high blood pressure and heart failure are still unclear. And the benefits come from fish as part of an overall pattern of eating, not from fish alone. If you are considering fish oil pills, ask your clinician first, since the guidance favors getting omega-3s from food.

Easy ways to bring fish to the table

  1. Keep canned fish in the pantry. Canned salmon, sardines and tuna are affordable and ready in seconds for a salad or sandwich.
  2. Try a sheet-pan dinner. A salmon fillet with vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil needs very little cleanup.
  3. Use the freezer. Frozen fillets cook quickly and keep for months.
  4. Add it to a plan. Pick one fish night when you do your weekly meal planning.
  5. Follow a familiar pattern. Fish is a staple of the Mediterranean way of eating.
  6. Slow down and enjoy it. A calmer pace helps you notice fullness; see eating slowly.

A note on safety

If you are pregnant, nursing or feeding young children, the U.S. FDA and EPA publish guidance on which fish are lower in mercury, so check it before you shop. If you have a fish or shellfish allergy, of course, skip it.

This article is for general education and is not medical advice. Talk with your healthcare professional or a registered dietitian about what is right for you.

Sources

  • Rimm EB, et al. Seafood long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: a science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2018. American Heart Association summary
Not medical advice. This article is for education only. Review any weight loss, health, diet, fitness or medication decision with your doctor or primary care physician first. Medical disclaimer.

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Weight Wire Editorial Team

Writer at Weight Wire.

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