October is Seafood Month

October is Seafood Month
Get the Skinny on How to Incorporate Seafood into Your Healthy Lifestyle

With all of the recent news about seafood, it’s easy to get confused about what you can eat and what might pose a risk. Between the warnings about mercury levels and debates about farmed versus wild-caught seafood, it’s enough to make you throw up your hands and avoid seafood altogether. But seafood can and should be a part of a healthy diet. Seafood, especially fish like salmon and tuna, provides essential omega-3 fatty acids, high quality protein, and vitamins and minerals, and is also low in fat, calories, cholesterol and sodium. Fish has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, depression, diabetes and other conditions and is a delicious choice for those trying to lose weight. So, what is the right seafood choice?

While no seafood has to be cut out of a diet altogether, some should be eaten in limited quantities or not eaten at all by certain populations. Tuna is one of those fish. Tuna is a terrific source of omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, niacin and vitamin B12, but certain species of very large tuna contain high levels of methyl mercury. Higher exposures of the environmental contaminant have been linked to an increased risk of brain and nervous system abnormalities in developing fetuses. The Food and Drug Administration advises pregnant women, women who could become pregnant, nursing mothers and small children to limit their consumption of tuna as well as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. There is no reason, however, why tuna can’t be enjoyed by other people in moderate quantities. Tuna is delicious as sushi, on sandwiches, in salads or just grilled with vegetables.

Salmon is another fish of mystery. The confusion often lies in whether to choose farm-raised or wild salmon. For more nutritional punch and less environmental contaminants, choose wild salmon. Wild salmon has greater omega-3 fatty acid content and is lower in saturated fat because of its high muscle content. It is also lower in PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), a mixture of individual chemicals that are no longer produced in the United States but still found in the environment. Farm-raised salmon, on the other hand, has higher levels of PCBs and saturated fat but has fewer omega-3s. So, enjoy salmon as a great protein source but buy wild salmon when you can. The fresh salmon season runs from May to October, and the many species (Chinook or king salmon, coho, sockeye and pink salmon) are a wonderful addition to any diet.

Shellfish also contain essential fatty acids, but their levels are not as high as other cold-water fish. However, eating shellfish instead of red meat can have major benefits where cholesterol levels are concerned. Oysters, clams, mussels and crab are the best choices – and, secondarily, shrimp and squid. It’s important to note that these two fish do not raise cholesterol, as some previously believed.

Try this heart-healthy treat
For the ultimate in taste and heart disease prevention, try these tasty salmon cakes:
2 cans salmon
2 eggs or egg whites
1/2c.chopped celery, onion
1/2c.bread crumbs
2tbsp.lemon juice

Mix all ingredients and form into patties.
Spray a baking pan with canola oil and place patties on the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30minutes.

You can also put this salmon mixture in a sprayed loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes.

Janet Little is a Certified Nutritionist with Henry’s Farmers Market and has over 20 years of experience in the health food industry. Janet has extensive knowledge in foods and nutrition and she is also educated in vitamins and minerals, herbal solutions and Homeopathic remedies.


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October is Seafood Month Get the Skinny on How to Incorporate Seafood into Your Healthy Lifestyle By Janet Little, Certified Nutritionist Henry’s Farmers Market With all of the recent news about seafood, it’s easy to get confused about what you can eat and what might pose a risk. Between the warnings about mercury levels and debates about farmed versus wild-caught seafood, it’s enough to make you throw up your hands and avoid seafood altogether. But seafood can and should be a part of a healthy diet. Seafood, especially fish like salmon and tuna, provides essential omega-3 fatty acids, high quality protein, and vitamins and minerals, and is also low in fat, calories, cholesterol and sodium. Fish has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, depression, diabetes and other conditions and is a delicious choice for those trying to lose weight. So, what is the right seafood choice? While no seafood has to be cut out of a diet altogether, some should be eaten in limited quantities or not eaten at all by certain populations. Tuna is one of those fish. Tuna is a terrific source of omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, niacin and vitamin B12, but certain species of very large tuna contain high levels of methyl mercury. Higher exposures of the environmental contaminant have been linked to an increased risk of brain and nervous system abnormalities in developing fetuses. The Food and Drug Administration advises pregnant women, women who could become pregnant, nursing mothers and small children to limit their consumption of tuna as well as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. There is no reason, however, why tuna can’t be enjoyed by other people in moderate quantities. Tuna is delicious as sushi, on sandwiches, in salads or just grilled with vegetables. Salmon is another fish of mystery. The confusion often lies in whether to choose farm-raised or wild salmon. For more nutritional punch and less environmental contaminants, choose wild salmon. Wild salmon has greater omega-3 fatty acid content and is lower in saturated fat because of its high muscle content. It is also lower in PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), a mixture of individual chemicals that are no longer produced in the United States but still found in the environment. Farm-raised salmon, on the other hand, has higher levels of PCBs and saturated fat but has fewer omega-3s. So, enjoy salmon as a great protein source but buy wild salmon when you can. The fresh salmon season runs from May to October, and the many species (Chinook or king salmon, coho, sockeye and pink salmon) are a wonderful addition to any diet. Shellfish also contain essential fatty acids, but their levels are not as high as other cold-water fish. However, eating shellfish instead of red meat can have major benefits where cholesterol levels are concerned. Oysters, clams, mussels and crab are the best choices – and, secondarily, shrimp and squid. It’s important to note that these two fish do not raise cholesterol, as some previously believed. *Try this heart-healthy treat* For the ultimate in taste and heart disease prevention, try these tasty salmon cakes: 2 cans salmon 2 eggs or egg whites 1/2c.chopped celery, onion 1/2c.bread crumbs 2tbsp.lemon juice Mix all ingredients and form into patties. Spray a baking pan with canola oil and place patties on the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30minutes. You can also put this salmon mixture in a sprayed loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes. Janet Little is a Certified Nutritionist with Henry’s Farmers Market and has over 20 years of experience in the health food industry. Janet has extensive knowledge in foods and nutrition and she is also educated in vitamins and minerals, herbal solutions and Homeopathic remedies.