What are the Benefits of Eating Seafood

Seafood is a healthful choice for people of all ages growing children, pregnant women, active adults, and the elderly. Seafood is an excellent source of lean, high quality, easily digested protein. A 3.5-ounce serving of seafood provides almost half of an adult’s daily protein needs for only 100 to 200 calories. Seafood is low in saturated fat and sodium and is a rich source of many essential vitamins and minerals. Seafood also is one of the few foods that contain long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which have many beneficial health effects and are essential for the development of the nervous system and retina.

Seafood includes fish such as catfish, salmon, tuna, trout and tilapia, and shellfish such as shrimp, crab, clams and oysters. Most of the seafood purchased in the United States comes from marine waters and from aquaculture (farm-raised fish).

Nutritional and Health Benefits of Eating Seafood

The fats in red meat, poultry and eggs are solid fats, while the fats in seafood, nuts and seeds are oils. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend decreasing our intake of solid fats (saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol) because they may raise the levels of blood lipids such as total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol; increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers in adults; and lead to excess weight gain. Studies show that eating seafood can decrease the risk of heart attack, stroke, obesity and hypertension. Seafood is low in saturated fat and higher in “heart healthful” polyunsaturated fat, including omega-3 fatty acids.

The most important omega-3 fatty acids in seafood are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). All seafood contains omega-3 fatty acids, but oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, Atlantic and Pacific mackerel, and herring are especially rich sources of EPA and DHA. These fatty acids can help lower blood pressure and heart rate and improve cardiovascular function. For example, research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids decrease the risk of arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeats) that can lead to sudden death. Omega-3 fatty acids also decrease triglyceride levels and slow the growth rate of atherosclerotic plaque.

What Vitamins and minerals Seafood Contain?

The essential vitamins and minerals seafood contain include niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin E, vitamin B12, thiamin, riboflavin, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, potassium and selenium. In addition, oily fish have generous amounts of vitamins A and D, while fish with bones remaining, such as canned salmon and sardines, are good sources of bone-building calcium. Fish, especially marine fish, is a dietary source of iodine.

How Seafood helps during Pregnancy and lactation

The nutritional value of seafood is very important during pregnancy, fetal growth and development. Eating seafood is important for pregnant women or mothers who are breastfeeding, and women of childbearing age, because it supplies DHA that is beneficial for the brain and visual development of infants. As well as in early infancy and childhood.

According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding can improve their infants’ cognitive and visual development by eating at least 8 and up to 12 ounces of seafood per week. However, because wild fish may contain methyl mercury, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and young children should eat no more than 6 ounces per week of white (albacore) tuna and should not eat tile fish, shark, swordfish and king mackerel.

Dietary Recommendations

Based on the evidence of the health benefits of consuming seafood, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating at least 8 ounces of seafood each week (8 to 12 ounces for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding). Smaller amounts of seafood are recommended for children. The current mean intake of seafood in the United States is 3.5 ounces per week.

Seafood choices can include types with higher and lower amounts of EPA and DHA, but some choices with higher amounts should be included. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly oily fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon) at least twice a week. Each serving should be 3.5 ounces cooked or about ¾ cup of flaked fish.

What types of Seafood in Essential for you?

Seafood choices can include types with higher and lower amounts of EPA and DHA, but some choices with higher amounts should be included. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly oily fish such as mackerel, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon) at least twice a week. Each serving should be 3.5 ounces cooked or about ¾ cup of flaked fish.

Farm-raised seafood can have an equal or even higher amount of omega-3 fatty acids than wild-caught seafood. The fatty acid concentration of farmed fish reflects the composition of the diets they are fed. Thus, farmed salmon are fed a rich source of EPA and DHA (e.g., fish oil or algae) to have a fatty acid profile similar to that of wild salmon.

There is no dietary recommendation for EPA and DHA, but scientists and physicians are continuing to evaluate the requirements for these fatty acids. The current daily reference intake (DRI) for omega-3 fatty acids emphasizes the adequate consumption of alpha-linoleum acid (ALA, 18:3n-3) to satisfy requirements for all ages and both genders. ALA is found in flax seed oil and, in a lesser amount, in other sources such as canola oil, soybean oil and walnuts. The human body converts only a small amount of ALA to DHA/EPA, so to obtain the advised 250 milligrams per day of EPA and DHA it is necessary to eat the recommended amount of seafood per week.