Something ‘fishy’is going on…

The annual Seafood Fortnight organised by the Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish) in September was a huge success with the theme this year of ‘2 a week’, reminding us that seafood is one of the healthiest, most convenient and delicious foods available and that we should all be aiming to eat at least two portions of seafood a week.

There are around 100 different varieties of fish available to us in the UK so you should be able to find something you like.

So why 2 a week?
The consumption of seafood provides important sources of protein, vitamins, minerals and omega 3 fatty acids that help lower blood cholesterol levels. Nutrition experts agree we should be eating a minimum of two portions of seafood every week, at least one of which should a good source of omega 3, such as mackerel, herring or sardines.

And there’s great news for shellfish fans - Seafish collected new data showing that various species of shellfish are also valuable sources of omega 3 polyunsaturates. Oysters and crab are ‘rich’ sources, and mussels, squid, cold water prawns and lobster are all ‘good’ sources.

Independent nutritionist Juliette Kellow gives five great health reasons to fall hook, line and sinker for seafood:

1. Fight heart disease
Research shows that omega 3 fats, found naturally in oil-rich fish, can reduce our chances of heart disease. According to the British Heart Foundation, these unique polyunsaturated fats help to prevent blood clots from forming.
Catch of the day: Anchovies, sardines, pilchards, fresh tuna, mackerel, herring, salmon, trout, crab and mussels.

2. Manage weight
White fish is low in fat and high in protein, making it an excellent choice for controlling our weight – providing it’s not fried or covered in batter. A 140g baked cod fillet contains just 131 calories and 1.2g fat.
Catch of the day: Coley, pollack, cod, haddock, halibut, lemon sole, plaice, prawns and shrimps.

3. Brain food for babies
Our grandmothers were right – or at least partly right – when they said fish was good for the brain. Omega 3 fats, found in oil-rich fish, are important for the development of brain cells, particularly before birth and in the first few years of childhood. This means it’s particularly important for pregnant and breast-feeding women and young children to get enough omega-3 fats.
Catch of the day: Pilchards, mackerel, sardines, fresh tuna, crab, mussels and salmon.

4. Keep bones strong
The small bones in fish like pilchards and sardines are packed with calcium - around 80 percent of the calcium needed by most women each day. Eating more calcium-rich foods helps keep bones strong and prevent osteoporosis.
Catch of the day: Pilchards, sardines and whitebait

5. Improve your love life (maybe)!
In an effort to boost his libido, legendary lover Casanova reportedly ate 50 oysters every morning before getting out of bed – helping to give these shellfish their reputation as an aphrodisiac. Whether his bedroom antics were truly the result of seafood will never be known. However, oysters – and other shellfish – contain zinc, a mineral that’s needed for healthy sperm. Half a dozen oysters contain a whopping 36mg of zinc – that’s more than twice the amount most men need every day. Fortunately, other more common shellfish also contain zinc. A 140g serving of canned crab provides almost half the zinc needed by most men, while 140g of prawns, provides around 15 percent.
Catch of the day: Oysters, crab, lobster, prawns and mussels

Getting the kids to eat
We all know it can be difficult to get kids to eat seafood. They’re not interested in the fact that it’s packed full of goodness - in fact that’s probably the last thing to tell them if you want them to eat it! But research shows, the younger children are when they try new things, the more likely they are to accept and enjoy them - so start them off early!

It’s always good for the whole family to spend time together and there are so many additional benefits to all sitting down together to eat a healthy meal. Why not try the ‘Seafish’ recipe here.

(Back to healthy eating)