What's the Best Fish for You?

This is just part of an article I read on Sparkpeople.  If you're a fish/seafood lover, you might want to read the rest of this article.  It not only covers the omegas but also the contaminants, environmental concerns and gives you a general guideline for fish and your health.  This is well worth going to this site to read.

What's the Best Fish for You?

Word is spreading that fish is good for your health, but like many matters of health and nutrition, there’s nothing simple about simply eating fish. Even though many varieties can be good for your health, contaminants such as mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), found in many types of fish, may be detrimental to your health.

But it gets even more complicated. Beyond choosing fish based on healthfulness (considering things like abundance of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and low concentrations of mercury and contaminants), consuming fish also has an environmental impact. Many environmental advocates have reported that the mismanagement of many large-scale fishing operations has resulted in overfishing (and the plummeting of some wild fish populations). Fish farming, one alternative to wild fish, may help protect these populations, but other groups claim that fish farming has led to other problems, like the overuse of antibiotics to control disease.

Trying to keep track of which types of fish are healthy and safe—not only for you, but also for the environment—can be daunting, to say the least. And here’s why: Making the right choice when it comes to fish means looking for fish that have the highest nutritional content, lowest levels of contaminants, and, for those concerned with the environment, the lightest impact on the planet. Let's explore how to make the best choices to meet all of these tricky requirements.

Nutrition and Omega-3s
Nutrients found in foods are usually straightforward.  When choosing fish, people generally want to know which types are highest in omega-3 fatty acids. Concerning omega-3s alone, the following chart ranks the omega-3s in fish from highest content to lowest.
 

Species 3 oz edible portion	Grams Omega-3
Mackerel, Atlantic	2.6
Chub	2.6
Herring	2.5
King Mackerel	2.2
Chub Mackerel	2.2
Trout, lean lake	2.1
Spiny Dogfish	2.0
Trout, lake	2.0
Salmon, Atlantic, farmed	1.9
Herring, pacific	1.8
Whitefish	1.8
Herring, Atlantic	1.7
Bluefin Tuna	1.6
Chinook Salmon	1.5
Sablefish	1.5
Albacore Tuna	1.5
Whitefish, lake	1.5
Sturgeon, Atlantic	1.5
Canned Sardines	1.4
Pink Salmon	1.0
Smelt	1.0
Striped Bass	0.8
Pollock	0.5
Catfish	0.5
Halibut, Pacific	0.5
Catfish or Cod	0.3
Flounder or Perch	0.2
Snapper or Grouper	0.2
Sole	0.1

More Info for Less Cholesterol - Poultry and Fish/Seafood

Now that I know I'm ok in the red meat dept. it's time to look at the meats that I do eat the most which are poultry, fish and seafood.  One of these may be the cause of my raised cholesterol level.  So here is what I found.

Skinless, white poultry is only about 20% fat.  Only 19% of the calories in trout are fat, and only 6% of those in water-packed tuna are fat.  In addition, poultry and seafood, with the exception of shrimp, are generally lower in cholesterol than red meat.  Although shrimp is high in cholesterol, many medical professionals now feel that the healthful benefits of fish oil allow shrimp to be eaten on a moderate basis.

A 3 1/2 oz. serving of cooked trout yields 55 mg. of cholesterol; halibut 60 mg.; and chicken 79 mg.  Four ounces of cod contains just 57 mg. and 3 oz. of tuna just 54 mg.   While 4 oz. of sirloin steak contains 107 mg.  (One of my favorite fish is the cod.  I usually buy the thicker 'choice' cuts which are a little more expensive but still cheaper than a prime cut of steak and a lot healthier.)

To insure that you lower your fat and cholesterol as much as possible, follow these steps:
1.  Reduce poultry and seafood portions in size.  Although lower in cholesterol than red meat, poultry and seafood are still sources of cholesterol.  (As much as I love a good piece of fish it's hard for me to keep the portions to 3 1/2 oz.  As for the chicken, I love chicken but to me chicken has no flavor of its own so I try to provide it with flavor which I'll have to be careful of so I don't increase the fat and cholesterol.  As for eating just 3 1/2 oz. that isn't a problem.  I often just bake my chicken with some herbs and add it to a good salad.)

2. Always cook poultry without the skin so that the fat in the skin doesn't drip into the meat.  (This is no problem for me since I almost always buy skinless chicken.)

3.  Select the white meat of the chicken or turkey rather than the dark meat, as the white is lower in cholesterol.  (This really isn't a problem since I don't like dark meat.  I know it does have a little more flavor and is juicy but I can't bring myself to eat a piece of dark meat.  Too many things still attached to the meat that you don't find in white meats.)

4.  Broil, roast, bake, steam, poach or barbecue poultry and seafood as these methods allow the fat to drip away during cooking.  (This is where my pan with the rack comes in handy.  I used to boil my chicken but found that even with seasonings added the meat was dry and lacked flavor.  I now place my chicken as well as my fish on the rack and bake.  It is juicier and cooks fairly quickly.  Yes the fat drips into the pan but it still comes out juicy.  This is also the way I make baked 'fried' chicken.  The rack allows the batter to stay crispy.)

5.  Use wine, herbs, lemon juice or flavored vinegar, rather than margarine, oils and sauces to flavor poultry and seafood dishes.  (I do use the herbs, especially rosemary, to flavor my chicken.  My fish I coat with an egg wash, dip it into Panko and then cook it in the oven using my baking rack.  It cooks quickly, comes out crisp and is delicious with a little Malt Vinegar sprinkled on top.)

6.  Avoid packaged, canned or frozen poultry and seafood dishes.  (There again, after seeing the salt content on the package of most packaged foods, I've completely stopped buying them.)

7.  When ordering seafood and poultry in restaurants, avoid any sauces and gravies, and select only heart-healthy cooking methods.  (I normally order grilled chicken when eating out but have to admit that I do order fried fish.  I just have to have that kick now and then.  When I do order chicken that has been fried I always order the white meat and try really hard to eat just the meat and not the crust or skin.  Hard to do so I don't order this often.)

I haven't been able to bring myself to eat food that use ground chicken or turkey but I have made Chicken Chili and I have to tell you it is delicious.  I've even added a recipe for it on my site Think With Your Taste Buds - Chicken.  I'll continue to find healthier ways to eat my chicken, fish and seafood and continue to stay away form red meats.  Nest I'm going to investigate other ways to reduce cholesterol and fat through the substitution of oils and salad dressings.

How to Buy Fresh Fish

On an average I eat fish 3-4 times a week but have never really checked in make sure how safe my purchases of fresh fish actually are. So for those of you who love fish as much as I do, this is what I found.\

When buying fresh fish the fresher the better but how can you tell fresh from less-than-fresh?  The first thing to do is to take a deep breath.  What do you smell?  You should receive just a faint smell of the sea and nothing else.  No iodine, no ammonia, and no "fishy" overtones.  Next, look for the thermometer in the display case.  It should read 33 degrees, no more and no less.

Fresh fish is sold in a variety of forms ranging form right-from-the-water to pan-ready.  Whole fish, also called round fish, is just as complete as when it was swimming, with head, tail, gills and entrails intact.  Drawn fish is the entire fish, but it has been eviscerated, with the intestines and sometimes the gills removed.  The freshness of these two forms is easy to gauge at a glance.  Take a good look at the eyes.  They should be clear, shiny and bulging.  Dull, opaque or sunken eyes, or those with a great deal of redness, indicate fish that are over the hill or have been roughly treated. Red snapper eyes are naturally red so make sure they're also clear and bulging.  Gills should be pink or red, not brown and shaggy.  Take a sniff if you're not sure.  Any strong smell is an age giveaway.  Buy about one pound of whole fish per serving, about 3/4 pound of drawn.
Dressed fish has been scaled as well as gutted and may or may not have lost its head, tail and fins.  Its flesh should be firm, the skin shiny and moist.  Buy about 1/2 pound of dressed fish per serving.

Fillets are the two boneless (or nearly so) slabs of flesh removed from both sides of the backbone.  When they are left attached to each other, they're known as butterfly fillets.  Fillets are a little more difficult to judge for freshness.  They should be moist-looking and shiny, but only your nose knows for sure.  If think fillets look opaque instead of translucent, chances are they've been frozen and thawed.  Avoide them if you're paying high prices for fresh fish.  Allow about 1/4 pound per serving of filtered fish.

Steaks are generally cut form large, thick fish such as salmon, swordfish and tuna.  They are cross-cut form 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches thick from dressed fish and often contain small bones.  Look for the same characteristics as in fresh fillets and buy about 1/3 pound fish steak per serving.

OK, now we know how to buy fresh fish so we can all enjoy it even more.  Where did I get my information?  From a great source - Betty Crocker's Best Recipes for Fish and Shelfish.

Recommended Power Foods - Part 1 - Fish and Shellfish

I've decided to do a series of info from a book titled The Power of Food by Bonnie Raffel R.D.  This book has to be one of the best cookbooks I've ever found and the information it includes makes it one of the most informative 'food' books I've ever found.  This series will be posted over several weeks.  I'm doing this because I feel that smaller posts are more likely to be read as well as remembered.  So here goes with Part 1.

Recommended Power Foods - Part 1 - Fish and Shellfish
(Information from The Power of Food - Bonnie Raffel R.D., Author)

Fish and Shellfish - Salmon is a powerful anti inflammatory food and is an excellent source of omega3 essential fatty acids.  Salmon is the heart healthiest high protein food of all.  Try to select Wild Alaskan salmon which contains a healthier fat profile over farmed salmon whenever possible.  Other good food (fish) sources of omega3 are; halibut, shrimp, cod, snapper, scallops, whitefish, striped bass, oysters, rainbow trout, and tuna.  Shrimp also contains the antioxidant selenium, which helps support a healthy immune system.  Also, just 2 servings a week of fish, will increase your body's blood level for omega3 fatty acids.  The use of fish oil or an omega3 in a soft shell form, may be used.  It is also advisable to choose a supplement with vitamin E.  Vitamin E is an antioxidant and when added to the oil, prevents the fatty acids form becoming rancid.  Store this product in the refrigerator or freezer.

Shrimp and Spaghetti

If you like shrimp this dish is one you must try.  It's simple, of course or I wouldn't be posting it, it's delicious and all of my food testers that were lucky enough to give it a try loved it.  So, check out my recipe for Shrimp and Spaghetti.

'Crab' Cakes

Want a simple dish that is tasty yet can be made up within no time?  Well, if you like Crab Cakes, you might want to give this recipe a try.  It is so good, simple and inexpensive.  Let me know what you think.

How Long Can You Keep It? - Fish and Seafood

Lean Fish - Fillets/Steaks:
  Cod, Sole, Halibut, Orange Roughy, Flounder - refrigerate 1 - 2 days - freeze 6 months
Fatty Fish - Fillets/Steaks:
  Catfish, Perch, Salmon, Whitefish - refrigerate 1 - 2 days - freeze 2 - 3 months
Crab, Cooked - refrigerate 1 - 2 days - freeze 3 months
Scallops/Shrimp:
  Uncooked - refrigerate 1 - 2 days - freeze 3 - 6 months
  Cooked - refrigerate 3 - 4 days - freeze 3 months
Leftover, Cooked Seafood - refrigerate 3 - 4 days - freeze 3 - 6 months

Refrigerator - 34 - 40 degrees
Freezer - 0 degrees

Seafood Labels

When I read this in a Better Homes and Garden magazine, I was really surprised.  I've always assumed that organic was just that.  I never stopped to think that if it's wild-caught, there is no way it can be organic.  That can only happen if it's farm raised.  Duh!  The wild-caught took me a bit by surprise too.  I usually believe whatever I read on the labels.  I do know that my doctor told me years ago to never buy Fish Oil unless it said caught in "deep, cold water."  Otherwise it just might be farm raised and not worth the money I spend.  I think I'll start looking for Fish Oils made in Alaska.  As for the Dayboat term, that's a new one for me.

Organic:  Not backed by the USDA for use on seafood.  With other products, "organic" partly means the animal was raised on organic feed.  That's tough to verify with wild fish, which have uncontrolled diets and with predatory species such as tuna, which consume other fish.  Seafood that is certified organic in other countries can be sold in most U.S. states, but there's no guarantee of what you're getting.

Dayboat:  This term is used to communicate freshness and cleanliness.  It means the seafood was caught and ferried to shore within one day.  But...unless you live right near the water, it can tak up to two weeks for that fish to reach your local market.

Wild-caught:  This indicates the fish was not raised in an aqua farm, an important distinction for salmon.  Farm-raised varieties often contain synthetic dyes and are lower in omega-3s than wild-caught.  This label is sometimes abused.  Several years ago, a small Consumer Reports investigation revealed that nearly 57% of "wild" salmon samples purchased in supermarkets actually were farm-raised.  To ensure your selection is really wild, choose salmon from Alaska, where salmon farming is banned.

Crabby Rice Patties

When working up this dish I mixed everything but the eggs so I could taste my mixture as I went along.  This allowed me to add as much or as little of the Old Bay seasoning as I wanted and it allowed me to come up with the perfect cheese flavor to fit my taste. I used plain Panko bread crumbs but I'm sure seasoned would be good.  I haven't tried it yet but I want to give this a try using Salmon instead of crab.  Bet that one will be good too.  Now that I've gotten your attention, see the full recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet.

Potato Chip Shrimp

Remember the Potato Chip Chicken recipe?  Well, I decided to try it using shrimp.  I did eliminate the French fried onions because I didn't want to cover up the flavor of the shrimp but give it a try if you want.  These are really good!

Find the Potato Chip Chicken recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet.  Follow the recipe using shrimp instead of chicken.

Dirty Rice and Shrimp

The original recipe called for regular rice, I wanted the different textures so I used the wild and long grain rice.  I also had a list of 6 different seasonings but I had just bought a jar of Zatarain's Jazz it Up Seafood so decided to try it instead.  I used 1 Tbsp. but wanted just a bit more heat so I added an extra teaspoon which is optional.  I also bought my shrimp already cooked which saved time.  All-in-all, it turned out wonderful!


Think With Your Taste Buds - Use Polish Sausage or chicken instead of the shrimp.

View the recipe by going to Martha's Recipe Cabinet

Scallops Over Rice

I LOVE scallops so when I found them at a fresh seafood market for $10.00 a pound I bought a pound.  Now, I wanted to do something a little different so while at the same market I bought some Tempura just in case I decided to fry them.  After getting home I put my thinking cap on and decided to "Think With My Taste Buds."  Here is what I used and did.

1 lb. scallops
1/2 cup Tempura
1/4 cup butter
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 bag Boil-in-the-Bag rice
salt to taste

Cook rice according to package.  Drain.  In a large frying pan melt butter on medium heat.  Add garlic and saute for about 2 minutes (don't brown). Batter the scallops in the Tempura.  Fry in the hot butter about 2 minutes on each side or until slightly browned.  Remove scallops.  Add rice to butter & garlic.  Mix well.  Toss scallops into rice.  Serve immediately.