Close
Pictured recipe:Slow-Cooker Citrus Salmon with Melted Leeks
First, what exactly is seafood?
And how does it compare to fish? “Seafood includes any form of food from the waters, including fish, shellfish such as mollusks and crustaceans, and even sea vegetables like seaweed and algae. And, atSeafood Nutrition Partnership, that definition must also take into account the sustainability of the food supply and the waters that provide life. Short answer: It’s any way you can get the good nutrients, vitamins and essential omega-3s that come from the sea,” says Valerie Agyeman, RDN, Seafood Nutrition Partnership’s in-house dietitian and communications manager. Here are ourtop tips for buying fish and shellfish that meet your standards.
Seafood includes:
What makes seafood good for you?
Seafood is touted for and mostly recommended because of its omega-3 fat content—namely DHA and EPA (which alone have been linked with various health benefits, and also haveanti-inflammatory properties). And while those fats—yes—are ultra-important and über-healthy, it’s not just the omega-3-rich seafood that gets health accolades.
All seafood delivers notable nutrients: many types deliver calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin D is a nutrient that we typically need more of, and is hard to get from food (here are6 foods to help you get more vitamin D in your diet). Plus, seafood is also considered ahigh-quality protein—much like eggs, meat, poultry and dairy.
There are also excellent science-backed health benefits of eating seafood.
The health benefits of eating seafood
Pictured recipe:Panko- & Parmesan-Crusted Baked Scallops
You’ll live longer.
Eating seafoodtwo to three times per week can cut your risk of dying prematurelyfrom any health-related cause, according to twodifferent studies. Other, more recent, research suggests that our low seafood eating habits contribute to so-called preventable deaths.
It could fuel your happiness.
Research shows thatpeople who regularly eat fish are 20% less likely to have depression. Another study, published in 2018 inAsia-Pacific Psychiatry, found thateating just one weekly serving of fish helped ward off depression.
Children may be smarter and healthier.
Ina review of studies, published in December 2019, researchers concluded that children of mothers who ate the recommended 12 ounces of seafood a week when they were pregnant had significantly higher IQ scores. Even eating a mere 4 ounces a week helped.
When it comes to babies' health, a brand-new study,in a March 2020 issue of JAMA, found that mothers who ate fish one to three times a week while pregnant had children (assessed between 6 and 12 years old) with lower levels of inflammation and lower risk of metabolic syndrome.
What should you watch out for when eating seafood?
Mostly, just mercury. It’s a neurotoxin that’s in essentially all seafood—at some level or another. But typically,experts say that the benefits of eating seafood outweigh the risks.
Your seafood can also be more eco-friendly, depending on the type you choose, where it’s from and how it’s grown (wild or farmed). Many fish counters have labeling to help you make a more informed decision, but you can also check websites likeMonterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch, theMarine Stewardship CouncilandThe Safina Centerto give you more information about the environmental and sustainability impact of the seafood you choose.
How seafood compares to other proteins
Here’s the thing—we’re not eating enough seafood. Only 1 in 10 consumers get the recommended two seafood servings a week, according to the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. And per theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics, kids aren’t either.
Overall, aim to eat more seafood.But make it baked, broiled or poached seafood versus fried. Ounce for ounce, fried seafood can deliver three to four times as much saturated fat, and also a heftier number of calories.
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
