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Healthy Diet Plans >>  Therapeutic Value of Different Foods >>  Fish and Seafood >>  Halibut


Halibut is a largest salt water fish and one of the largest flatfish weighing up to 660 pounds. It is a lean fish with few bones, pure white flesh with fine texture and grey-brown skin. The halibut meat is adored among the fish lovers; it has a delicate sweet yet mild flavor with combination of high nutritive value. Although fresh halibut is available during the fishing season in summers, frozen halibut is available all round the year.

Health and halibut

Halibut has a high nutritional value.
Besides being a good source of high quality protein, halibut has significant amounts of a variety of other nutrients like selenium, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin B12, vitamin B6, niacin, and probably the most important of all omega 3 fatty acids.
  1. Omega 3 fatty acids (mainly EPA and DHA) are the essential fatty acids that the body can not synthesize and thus has to be supplied via external sources. They have a protective effect mainly to the cardiovascular system in terms of preventing erratic heart rhythms, improving the HDL to LDL ratio, preventing high blood pressure, preventing atherosclerosis, preventing the blood to clot in the arteries, reducing inflammation, lowering triglycerides and reducing the risk of stroke.
  2. Folic acid along with vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 helps to keep the levels of homocysteine low. High homocysteine levels is directly associated with atherosclerosis and osteoporosis.
  3. Magnesium from halibut helps to relax the arteries and veins which in turn lessens resistance and improves blood flow thus delivering more nutrients and oxygen to the body.
  4. Cooking method is very important when it comes to fish. Halibut should be cooked in such a way that it should allow minimum nutrient loss. Choose cooking methods like broiling, baking, or grilling instead of deep frying. Remember when you fry halibut you are also frying away all its nutrients. Broiled or baked fish may lower atrial fibrillation that is the most common type of heart arrhythmia.
  5. Fish consumption is also related to other benefits like having a protective effect against deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, protect against cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, age-related cognitive decline, childhood asthma, reduce the risk of leukemia, multiple myeloma and kidney cancer. The omega 3 fats also improve moods, reduce depression and reduce the risk of macular degeneration and fend off dry eye syndrome.
  6. People with purine related problems like gout, uric acid problems or kidney problems should consume halibut with caution as it has these naturally occurring purines that should be avoided in such conditions.
Submitted on January 16, 2014