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Why is seafood so healthy?
Seafood is an important part of a healthy diet and becoming the food of choice for the health-conscious. Some great reasons to eat seafood are shown in the nutrition information table opposite. It’s brain food, and lots more!
In Australia we don’t eat enough seafood. The Australian Dietary Guidelines advise eating one or two fish based meals per week (a serve of fish is 80 to 120g cooked weight). However according to the last National Dietary Survey only 1 in 4 of us reported eating fish at least once a week.
The impact of a Mediterranean type diet, which includes eating seafood regularly, has been examined in people who have established heart disease. One trial showed the Mediterranean diet to be more effective than a low-fat diet in reducing heart attack and death rates in the five-year follow up period. In fact, only two years into the study, the results were so striking that the trial was stopped and all participants were recommended to follow the Mediterranean diet.
What is the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean diet consists of:
- more bread,
- more vegetables and legumes,
- more seafood,
- less meat (beef, lamb, pork) – replaced by poultry,
- no day without fruit,
- no butter or cream, and
- olive oil or other mono-unsaturated oil source.
Nutrition Information
|
Seafood is typically |
Benefits to health |
|
|
Energy |
Low in energy or kilojoules. |
Ideal for those watching the scales. |
|
Protein |
High in readily digestible protein. |
Essential for growth and repair of muscles and a healthy immune system. |
|
Fat, total |
Low in fat but relatively high in ‘good’ fats such as omega-3’s and omega-6’s. |
Provides the good fats essential to health. |
|
saturated |
Without almost any saturated fat. |
Ideal to maintain a healthy heart. Most saturated fats increase blood cholesterol. |
|
Omega fats |
The best natural source of omega-3 fats. They also contain omega-6 fats, which are also found in plant-based foods. |
Omegas-3’s are essential to life and good health. Important for the brain and nervous system. Hence fish really is brain food. Omega-6’s are important for growth and general health and well-being. |
|
Cholesterol |
Low in cholesterol. Shellfish and crustaceans like prawns do contain cholesterol however only a small amount is usually absorbed. |
Fits into a heart healthy diet. Cholesterol in food is not the main predictor of blood cholesterol. |
|
Vitamins |
High in vitamins A, B, E & D. One of the few natural sources of vitamin D. |
Essential for maintaining good health. Essential for healthy bones. |
|
Minerals |
High in minerals iodine and calcium. Seafood is the best source of iodine. |
Essential for maintaining good health. Iodine is important for the thyroid. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. |
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