Health
Health benefits of seafood
We all know seafood is good for us. But did you know it can do everything from improving your joints to helping ward off depression? Read our health benefits pages to find out more about what seafood can do for your brain, heart, skin, eyes, pretty much everything, in fact – even your love life.
It’s time to see fish in a different light.
A healthy diet: where does seafood fit in?
Not only is seafood delicious, it contains more vitamins and minerals than any other form of protein. It’s also a very low-fat food, with the fats in seafood being chiefly composed of marine Omega-3 fatty acids, beneficial for the heart, brain, central nervous system and the skin, as well as for child development.
The UK’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition has recommended that all adults should eat at least two 140g portions of fish each week, one of which should be oil-rich. This is endorsed by experts at the Food Standards Agency, the British Heart Foundation and the British Nutrition Foundation.
1 Omega-3: the alpha oil
Marine Omega-3 fatty acid is found in various concentrations in many different kinds of seafood. It comes from the family of ‘good’ fats that are not only beneficial for health, but are in fact essential to the diet. The body simply isn’t able to produce these fats, so you need to include them in your dietary intake.
Study after study shows that people in Western countries do not eat enough seafood. From healthy hearts to healthy minds, everyone can benefit from increasing their Omega-3 intake, thereby significantly reducing their chances of developing conditions such as cancer and heart disease.
Omega-3 has been associated with brain development, joint function, healthy skin and eyes as well as better mental health.
The facts about good fats
Diet experts suggest that we should eat fewer saturated fats, and more ‘good fats’ -namely, mono-unsaturated fats from olive oil and polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils, nuts, seeds and seafood. Clearly, heart health is better when these healthier fats replace saturated fats. Seafood, particularly oil-rich fish, contains a combination of long-chain polyunsaturated fats: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These are thought to confer special health benefits that are not seen with nuts and seeds.
The dietary balance between Omega-6 and Omega-3 fats is also vital. In days gone by (when we had healthier hearts and fewer allergies), our dietary ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 was 2:1. Today, however, we consume about seven times more Omega-6 than Omega-3. This means that we are eating too many Omega-6 fats from spread and vegetable oils, and too few Omega-3 fats from nuts, seeds and seafood.
Eating seafood is a great way to redress the balance.
2 EPA and DHA: the ‘magic acids’ in fish oil
There’s been a recent dramatic surge in interest in the health benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids derived from fish and fish oils – consisting of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).
DHA is a physiologically essential nutrient required in high levels by the brain and the retina of the eye in order to provide for optimal neuronal functioning (learning ability, mental development) and visual acuity, in the young and old alike. DHA and EPA are both regarded as having beneficial effects in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors, as well as other chronic disorders.
Whereas considerable amounts of the plant-derived Omega-3 fatty acid known as a-linolenic acid (ALA) are usually consumed daily by the average person, the physiologically essential nutrient DHA is consumed at much smaller levels, while EPA is consumed in even smaller amounts on a daily basis.
Omega-3 fish oil contains the two active ingredients; EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Most fish oils on the market contain both these ingredients in various quantities. But which of these essential nutrients is better for you?
Well, both DHA and EPA are vital, but each at different stages of life; and it’s becoming clear in the scientific community that they both perform different functions.
DHA is now thought to constitute the ‘building blocks of the brain, forming about 8% by weight. This is why it’s important for pregnant mothers to ensure an adequate supply throughout pregnancy. DHA is also added to some infant milk formulas by some leading manufacturers, as an infant requires a lot of DHA in the first two years of life, to support brain growth.
EPA, however, is different; this essential nutrient is now considered by some leading UK doctors and professors to be the single most vital nutrient in the functioning of the brain and for nerve stimulation.
DHA and EPA are absent from plant food sources rich in ALA (such as flax, canola oil, and walnuts). Since the metabolic conversion of ALA to DHA/EPA (combined) by metabolism is somewhat limited in humans, the most direct way of providing DHA plus EPA for the body is via direct consumption.
It’s widely accepted that Omega-3 fish oil is not only able to benefit your heart and joints, but is also good for your brain. Most people are aware of these benefits, but are often unsure about whether the benefits of Omega-3 fish oil apply for all types of Omega-3 fish oils, such as those found in capsule form.
So, for a healthier body and mind, consuming more fish oil is a ‘no brainer’, as they say.
3 Protein
Of the three important sources of dietary calories (protein, fat and carbohydrate), seafood is an excellent source of protein and contains a certain amount of ‘good’ fat, depending on the species eaten.
Protein-rich fish and shellfish provide nourishment for your muscles and help you to fight colds and flu. Eat seafood to help ward off the sniffles.
Eating lean white fish, such as cod and haddock, will help maintain a healthy weight, boost your immunity and help your body to convert food into energy.
4 Vitamins and minerals
Apart from macronutrients such as protein, seafood is also a good source of particular vitamins and minerals that have important functions within the body.
Oil-rich fish is a great source of fat-soluble vitamins A and D, which are important for development in children and for lifelong growth. Vitamin D is made by our bodies in response to sunlight, but the long, dark winter months and a lack of sunshine at other times of the year may put some people at risk of a vitamin D deficiency. Certain groups of people, such as children, the elderly and women from some ethnic groups, are especially at risk from low levels of vitamin D and so would benefit from a regular intake of oil-rich fish.
White fish is a good all-round source of B vitamins. As would be expected from water-living creatures, seafood is an excellent source of minerals such as potassium, zinc and iodine. The reputation for being a ‘brain food’ may be, in part, due to the high iodine content of many fish species. Iodine is vital in the development of the brain and nervous system in babies and children.
Oysters, prawns and fish products containing small edible bones, e.g. tinned sardines or salmon, are a good source of calcium, particularly for people who choose not to consume dairy products.
5 Essential nutrients
Seafood is rich in lots of essential nutrients that keep the body running smoothly at all ages – from tots to grandparents. Iodine is essential for the thyroid gland, to control growth and metabolism. Selenium is used to make enzymes that protect cell walls from cancer-causing free radicals; it helps protect DNA from radiation and some chemicals.
Shellfish is a rich source of zinc, which helps keep your muscles healthy, boosts the immune system and contributes to reproductive health, too. At the front end of the alphabet, shellfish is also an excellent source of vitamin A – for healthy skin and eyes – and vitamin D, which is needed to help the body absorb calcium, resulting in strong teeth and bones.
6 Salt and sodium
Although fish is high in minerals, it is a low-sodium food.
Sodium is a component of common table salt, something that many of us over-consume. The majority of salt in our diets comes from meat and meat products, such as pies and ready meals. Swapping a meat meal for a seafood meal could help people lower their salt intake.
Diets that contain too much salt have been linked to high blood pressure, strokes and heart disease.
