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According to research presented at the “Scientific Sessions 2009″ of the American Heart Association, if we eat fish for the coronary health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids it contains, it is best taken baked or boiled, fried or sauteed dry . The researchers also claimed that the addition of tofu or soy sauce, low sodium enhances the benefits. In fact, according to Meng, MS, chief investigator of the study conducted at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, other methods of preparation and may pose a risk.

“We do not compare directly boiled or baked fish with fried, but it can be said from the ratios (risk), which boiled or baked fish is oriented protection while not fried.

The results also suggest that the benefits cardioprotectres vary by gender and ethnicity, perhaps due to the methods of preparation, at a genetic susceptibility or hormonal factors. Many studies have suggested that taking omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, yet little is known about what is most beneficial source.

In this study, researchers examined the source, type, amount and frequency of consumption of omega-3 food among different gender and ethnic groups. Participants were part of the Multiethnic Cohort living in Hawaii and Los Angeles County when they were recruited between 1993 and 1996. The group consisted of 82,243 men and 103,884 women, African Americans, Caucasians, Japanese, Latino and Native Hawaiian, aged between 45 and 75 years with no history of heart disease.

The researchers divided consumption of tuna and other canned fish, excluding shellfish, and soy products containing omega-3 fatty acids of vegetable origin (soya, tofu and shoyu) into quintiles, quartiles or tertiles as appropriate. They also studied the methods of preparation: raw, cooked, boiled, fried, sauteed or dry. The initial study did not analyze the grilled fish.

The higher the quintile consumed an average of 3.3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day, while those of lower quintile consumed an average of 0.8 g daily.

The study found that consumption of omega-3 was inversely associated with overall riegso death from coronary heart disease in men, a trend seen primarily in Caucasians, Japanese Americans and Latinos. However, there were many blacks and Hawaiians in the study, which according to Meng, the results should be interpreted with caution.

In general, men who ate about 3.3 grams daily of omega-3 fatty acids showed a risk of death from heart problems by 23% lower compared with those taking 0.8 grams daily.

“Clearly we see that the greater the higher consumption of omega-3 diet, the lower the risk of dying from coronary disease among men,” said Meng.

The Japanese and Hawaiians eat fish more often than whites, blacks and Latinos, and fish prepared in various ways, said Meng.

In the case of women, said Meng, the effect of omega-3 proved to be cardioprotective in any level of consumption, but not systematically significant. The fried fish or fried proved to be a risk factor in women.

Moreover, the addition of less than 1.1 g / day of shoyu and teriyaki sauce turned out to have a protective effect in men, but not the addition of more than 1.1 g / day. In women, consumption of shoyu showed a clear inverse relationship with coronary heart disease death. Meng said the shoyu sauce, which is rich in sodium can increase blood pressure, so stressed that you must use low-sodium products. The consumption of tofu also showed a cardioprotective effect in all ethnic groups.

“In my opinion, for women taking the omega-and the tofu and shoyu sauce, which contain other active ingredients such as phytoestrogens, may have a cardioprotective effect even stronger than the mere consumption of omega-3″ Meng said, although he stressed that more studies would be needed to confirm this hypothesis.

The study did not examine the possible effects of fish oil supplements, or take into account possible changes in diets over time.