Health
Good quality wholesome food is important to us.
That is why most of our raw material comes from the cold seas of the north. Abba products are naturally wholesome, containing important vitamins and minerals, as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids (Omega-3).
Vitamins & minerals
Fish is a very ‘nutrition dense’ food that contains a great deal of nutrients per calorie. It provides us with high-value protein which the body can easily absorb and utilise. Protein helps to build new cells in the body and also affects the feeling of fullness. A protein-rich meal keeps us fuller for longer than a meal comprised of just carbohydrates.
Fish contains several different vitamins; the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and E are just some of the vitamins found in fish. Above all else, vitamin D is vital. We need it so that calcium from our food can build and maintain a strong skeleton.
The most important vitamins in fish are iodine and selenium. Iodine is a vital trace element and iodine deficiency can lead to thyroid disorders. Selenium is an antioxidant which protects the cells from free radicals and is also good for the immune system. In Sweden we have selenium-poor soil, so fish gives us a significant boost. Fish also contains zinc and magnesium. Zinc assists with oxygen turnover and the immune system, among its other functions. Magnesium is another mineral nutrient we can’t manage without. All our nerve and muscle cells depend on magnesium to work properly.
Omega-3
Many of Abba Seafood’s products are also rich in Omega-3. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat which is primarily found in fish, but also exists in certain vegetable foods such as walnuts, rapeseed and linseed. Omega-3 (and Omega-6, which is mainly found in vegetable fats) are fatty acids which the body needs to survive.
Omega-3 can in turn be divided up into several different types of fatty acids. The Omega-3-fatty acids in fish are long chains and these are the ones considered to have the greatest health effect.
Omega-3 fats have a positive effect on blood pressure, are anti-inflammatory and boost the immune system. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish prevent cardio-vascular diseases such as heart attacks and blood clots.
The body can’t form Omega-3 by itself; we have to get it from the food we eat. Research studies show that eating just one gram of Omega-3 every day is enough to achieve the preventive effect. You’ll get the same amount from five or six pieces of pickled herring. According to the Nordic Nutritional Recommendations, the daily requirement of Omega-3 is approx. 2-3 grams. These recommendations do not differentiate between Omega-3 from fish or Omega-3 from plants.