Vocational School of Justice
“LET’S EAT 4 INSTEAD OF 1 FISH”
With the end of the seasonal fishing ban, the counters are overloaded with fish; however, Turks do not consume enough fish-significant sources of omega-3 fats. As fish consumption per person is 25 kg in USA, Canada, and many European countries, it is only 6kg per person in Turkey. We eat 1 fish in our country surrounded by water on three sides, and developed countries eat 4 times as much.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Zeynep Fırtına Karagonlar, Lecture at IUE Department of Food Engineering, stated that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) expected 168 million tons of aquaculture products in 2015, and she said, “Turkey will make up 0.35% of the world production with 500 – 600 thousand tons. Both fish consumption and fish production in our country is very low. If developed countries are eating 4 fish, we get by with one fish only. Annual fish consumption per person is 25 kg in USA, Canada, and in many European countries, and it is only 6kg per person in Turkey. Turkey consumes only one fourth.”
‘Protect Your Heart with Fish’
Karagonlar pointed out the importance of fish in terms of its nutritional value and protein, and indicated that the protein content of most fish averages 15 to 20 percent. Karagonlar recommended consuming fish twice a week, and she said, “Eating fish twice a week is very important in terms of meeting our omega-3 need. Omega-3 fat acids need to be increased in daily food consumption. Fish consumption is very important in preventing cardiovascular diseases mainly and many other metabolic diseases. Especially with salmon, sardines, mackerel, and tuna, our diets will become more enriched in Omega 3.”