With
all the contradictory news about the health benefits of various foods, what can
be said about seafood? The fish processing industry can tout the benefits of
seafood, but when the information comes from other sources, it's an invaluable
boost to the seafood industry. In the August 1995 issue of Food & Wine Magazine,
an article by Mark Bittman called "Seafood's Net Worth" offers some excellent
guidance on the seafood / health / safety issue. We are reprinting some excerpts
here for your information:
Fat. - All seafood is extraordinarily low in
saturated fat (the kind that contributes to heart disease). Most shellfish and
white-fleshed fish like flounder and even some dark-fleshed fish like yellow-fin
tuna contain less total fat than any other form of animal protein. Crab, clams,
lobster and yellow-fin tuna contain about 1 gram of fat per 3.5 oz. serving.
Scallops weigh-in at only 0.75 gram of fat per serving. Skinless chicken breast
has more than twice as much fat. Fish like salmon and swordfish are higher in
total fat, delivering 6 grams or more of it per serving. But they also offer
omega-3 fatty acids, which recent studies credit with lowering blood cholesterol
levels (and the associated deposits in arteries) and reducing the risk of
cardiac arrest.
Cholesterol.
- The news here is also good.
As a comparison, look at skinless chicken breast, which contains about 58
milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per serving. Clams have 34 mg per serving;
scallops, 33; salmon and swordfish, 39. Lobster and shrimp are higher in
cholesterol at 95 and 152 mg, respectively. But each contains less saturated fat
- which is primarily responsible for raising blood cholesterol levels - than
skinless chicken breast.
Vitamins and Minerals. - The milligram counts below are amounts
per serving; the percentages, the proportion of the U.S. Government Daily Values
for optimal health. Crab: 89 mg calcium (9%). Strengthens bones. Shrimp: 1.1 mg
zinc (about 7%). Boosts the immune system. Clams: 14 mg iron (78%). Prevents
anemia.
Safety.
- Seafood is responsible for one
illness per 250,000 servings; chicken is 10 times as risky. If you exclude
bivalve mollusks that are commonly eaten raw - clams and oysters, primarily -
fish causes one illness per 5,000,000 servings. These are pretty good odds by
any count.
Freshness. - Fish kept in a hot car can
spoil in an hour. If you shop on a warm day and know you won't be coming home
directly, bring a cooler and some ice along for the ride. Most refrigerators
hold a temperature of about 40 F. degrees - not cold enough. Fill the vegetable
bin with ice and bury the still-wrapped fish there, or sandwich the fish between
two or three ice packs.
Benefits from Eating Rich Fish Regularly
Omega-3 Benefits Continue to Outweigh Possible Risks
Nov. 25, 2002--The American Heart Association has updated its recommendations regarding the consumption of omega-3, and is suggesting healthy people continue to consume omega-3 fatty acids from a variety of fish and plant sources to protect their hearts.
"Omega-3 fatty acids are not just good fats; they affect heart health in positive ways," said Dr Penny Kris-Etherton, lead author of the report. "They make the blood less likely to form clots that cause heart attacks and protect against irregular heartbeats that cause sudden cardiac death."
The comprehensive report examines the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in the context of cardiovascular disease risk reduction, and considers the recent guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration about the presence of contaminants in certain species of fish.
New Research Affirms Fish Oil In Treating Stubborn Depression
Nov. 4, 2002--The October issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry reports new research that suggests that daily supplements of eicosapenaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid, may help alleviate the symptoms of depression in patients who do not respond to standard anti-depressant medications.
Dr. Malcolm Peet of the Swallownest Court Hospital in Sheffield, England, and Dr. David F. Horrobin of Laxdale Research, Ltd. in Stirling, Scotland, found that depressed patients who received a daily dose of 1 gram of the fatty acid for 12 weeks experienced a decrease in their symptoms, such as sadness, anxiety and sleeping problems. The only side effect of the treatment appeared to be mild gastrointestinal problems. Top
Fatty Fish Might
Destroy Cancer Cells
Oct. 28, 2002--Scientists in Oslo, Norway believe fatty fish could have the power to destroy cancer cells. Researchers from the Institute for Nutrition Research at the University of Oslo claim that fatty acids from fish oils and fatty fish can destroy the "power station" - the mitochondria - in certain types of cancer cells, essentially making the cells commit suicide.
In her thesis, researcher Hilde Heimli examined how polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid is ingested by different leukemia/lymphoma cell lines and how some types of cancer cells commit suicide in this setting -- in other words, programmed cell death or apoptosis.
Heimli argues that if omega-3 fatty acids are to be capable of killing cancer cells, the cells have to contain a certain enzyme that activates these certain fatty acids. Cancer cells that contain less of this enzyme do not react to fish fat.
"Polyunsaturated fatty acids from fish also can initiate a less-regulated cell death called necrosis. The reason for the necrotic cell death is an increased production of reactive oxygen species in the cells. It is possible to appose this necrosis by the presence of antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E," Heimli said.
Heimli claims that although her experiments are developed from cancer cell lines - cells that originally came from leukemia patients -- she believes that there should be no reason why cancer cells of other origins should not commit suicide when exposed to fish fat.
"The experiments have been done in dishes in a laboratory setting," she said. "The polyunsaturated fatty acids that are used are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which are the same type as found in fatty fish or regular fish oil capsules. The fatty acids are added to the food given to the cancer cells in a way that is most like the body's own process."
The study was supported by the Norwegian Cancer Society. Top
Red Wine Provides Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Oct. 21, 2002--A French study looking at the specific components of the good cholesterol in the blood of red-wine drinkers found that men who drank red wine regularly had cholesterol that was richer in polyunsaturated phospholids and omega-3 fatty acids. So have a glass of red wine with that fish! Top
Click here for details.
Fish Oil Might Help Combat Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Oct. 14, 2002--In a study published in the journal Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, doctors say chronic fatigue syndrome may be caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, and suggest that taking daily fish oil supplements may help to alleviate some of the symptoms of the condition. Top
Click here for details.
Fish Fuel Development of Newborns
Oct. 7, 2002-A recent study by the University of Connecticut reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that pregnant women who eat fish with omega 3 fatty acids have babies who show signs of more mature brain development. Top
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Tuesday October 24, 2006 04:16 PM -0400