SAN ANTONIO – Putting more fish and seafood on your plate can be a healthy move, but it’s not all created equal when it comes to nutrition.
“Increasing fish and seafood in your diet promotes heart health and will reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Consumer Reports’ Nutritionist Amy Keating. “You should aim for eight ounces a week or about two servings.”
Many seafood options are high in protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce blood clots that can cause heart attacks and strokes. CR recommends getting omega-3s by eating seafood instead of taking a fish oil supplement.
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CR recommends these as great choices: anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, Pacific chub mackerel, herring, oysters, sardines, trout, and wild and Alaskan salmon (canned or fresh).
More good choices, but with slightly less omega-3, include canned light tuna, catfish, crab, flounder, sole, lobster, shrimp (wild and most U.S.-farmed), tilapia, scallops, and wild squid.
One thing to keep in mind is that eating more fish could increase your risk of mercury intake. To reduce your exposure to mercury, CR says to eat these types of fish rarely, if ever: bigeye tuna, Gulf tilefish, king mackerel, marlin, and orange roughy.
If you want to venture into seafood but avoid breaking the bank, CR recommends trying out anchovies, sardines, canned salmon, and light-chunk canned tuna, which are less expensive options.