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Eating seafood can help prevent heart attacks and strokes, lower blood pressure and may even ward off depression. Regular fish consumption reduces the risk of heart attack by as much as 40 percent. Seafood’s magic ingredient: Omega 3 fatty acids. Fatty fish, like salmon (fresh and canned), tuna (fresh and canned), herrings, trout, mackerel and sardines are loaded with these beneficial fats. Just be careful with cooking; pan-frying and deep-frying at high temperatures can destroy Omega 3 fats.
All fish are a good source of protein, have low levels of saturated fat and contain vitamin E, an important antioxidant. Seafood is great for people with diabetes, can contribute calcium (from the small, soft bones in some fish) to one’s diet, and may reduce the risk of asthma in children. It also can be low in calories, depending on how it's prepared.
Some people shy away from shellfish because it can be high in cholesterol. It's important to be aware that cholesterol in food does not directly transfer to cholesterol in blood. Although it is important to limit the amount of cholesterol you eat, especially if you have diabetes or heart disease, saturated and trans fats are more detrimental to serum (blood) cholesterol than the cholesterol in shellfish. If you are trying to lower your blood cholesterol, focus on replacing saturated fats with healthy fats, adding fiber, and exercising instead of counting cholesterol milligrams.
Mercury is a big concern with seafood. Some larger fish, like shark, swordfish and marlin, contain this metal that can cause brain and nerve damage. It is recommended that pregnant women and small children avoid these fish, and others limit their consumption to once per week. Fortunately, the fish highest in healthful Omega 3s are the lowest in mercury.
Published 02/08/08
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Most people want to be healthy, but at the same time, many people don't want to have to work too hard for it. We want healthy food that's easy and delicious—is that so much to ask?
