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.

I Didn't Know That - Grilling Tips for Fish

Spring is in the air and with you can find those of us who simply can't wait any longer to start grilling.  Well, I've given up almost all red meat but eat my weight in chicken and seafood/fish.  Most of the time I cook my fish in the oven but love the taste that grilling, especially with charcoal gives to any meat and even vegetables.  This year I plan on trying my hand at grilling fish and to do that I did a little research so I can get it right the 1st time, I hope.  Here is what I found.

1.  Use a hinged grill basket to keep delicate fillets or whole fish intact as you turn.  But before adding your fish to the basket, spray it inside and out with oil.  (I've seen these baskets in many of my local stores but never really paid attention as to what they were used for.  I feel sure they would work well for shrimp too as well as vegetables.  For my oil spraying I think I'll use non-stick spray.  It works very well when sprayed on the racks of the grill so I'm sure it will work great with the baskets.  And clean-up should be a breeze too.)

2.  Cook fish or seafood 4 - 6 inches from the heat, turning only once and brushing occasionally with oil or marinade to prevent drying.  (I've never used a marinade on my fish when cooking them in the oven but I can see why it would be needed on the grill.  I would think a little lemon and maybe some herbs would be good.)

3.  Be careful not to overcook fish as it will become tough and dry.  (I have a feeling this is something I'll have to play around with.  I know when fish is done when cooked in the oven so it shouldn't be too hard to determine on the grill.)

4.  Don't use leftover marinade from raw fish or seafood on your food unless it has been thoroughly heated first.  (I feel sure this is for the same reason as chicken and any other meat.  What I usually do when I marinade any meat is make up just a little extra for basting.  This should work with fish too.)

5.  To test for doneness, press the flesh of the fish with your fingertips.  When the fish is done, it is "just firm" - raw is soft and overdone is hard and firm.  (This method works for me with fish no matter how I cook it.  I did find that the general rule for cooking fish on the grill is 10 minutes for each 1" of thickness.)

Now that I know a little more about cooking fish on the grill, you can bet I'll be giving it a try and soon.  My favorite?  Nice thick slices of Cod.  Nothing better in my opinion, unless you offer me flour battered, deep fried like you find at Captain D's!  With a little Malt Vinegar of course.

I did run across a Rosemary-Thyme Marinade that I plan on trying so I thought I would share it too.

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
Combine all ingredients, mix well and set aside until ready to use.

Fish Facts - Part 1

I seldom eat red meat but do love chicken and seafood/fish so when I ran across an article about there being fish that are bad for you, I immediately had to read.  This is what I found in the article.  It is rather long so I’ll break it down into several parts.

#1 – Unlike other meats, fish’s nutritional value varies wildly by species and habitat, so it’s important to do your research.

#2 – According to registered dietitian and founder of 360 Family Nutrition, Kristen Smith, “not all fish offer the same health benefits.  Be sure to look for varieties that contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.  That is the ‘healthy’ fat source that can help reduce inflammation, prevent heart disease, and improve brain health.”

#3 – She also says “More importantly, you need to know which varieties to avoid.  Because fish live in polluted waters, they often contain dangerous chemicals like mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) which concentrate up the food chain through a process called bioaccumulation.”  PCBs are chlorinated chemicals that were outlawed in the ‘70s, but since they don’t break down easily, they’re still pervasive in our waters.  She goes on to say “Exposure to PCB is associated with a greater risk of neuropsychological impairment.  People over 50 who consume fish contaminated with PCB have a greater risk of decline in memory and increase in depression, which can adversely affect physical health and ability to function.”  With that said, experts in the health community continue to debate the harmful effects of PCBs, some taking the stance that the levels at which we ingest them are too low to be worrisome. 

#4 – Mercury is released into the water form industrial sources burning fossil fuels and solid wastes.  According to certified nutritionist and dietitian Janet Brill, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.N. “Nearly all fish contains a small amount of mercury, but contamination becomes a problem when high levels accumulate.  Exposure to too much mercury can damage the nervous system and up your risk of dying from heart disease.

After reading this I had to find out which fish were safe to eat and which weren’t.  I’ll be breaking this down into several segments so continue to follow to see if you’re eating the healthy fish and not the unhealthy.  There are 8 that I’ve found we should avoid and consume in low doses.

Mrs. Paul's Parchment Bake

I'm always a bit leary of frozen fish.  More often than not the fish is soft and mushy.  I've learned the hard way that buying frozen fish just isn't worth it.  But when Foodbuzz's Tastemakers offered to send me some free coupons just to try Mrs. Paul's newest fish Parchment Bake I decided what the heck. 

The fish is enclosed in a sealed parchment bag.  It bakes in the oven for a total of about 25 minutes.  I will admit that when I saw this wasn't a dish I could microwave I almost lost interest but then I realized this was all I had taken with me for lunch giving me no choice but to wait the 25 minutes.  So I sat down and read while my fish cooked - in the oven. 

You won't believe this!  It has to be some of the best frozen fish I've ever eaten!  It's flaky yet firm.  The one I chose to try 1st was the Classic Grilled Tilapia which I expected to be sweet and not really appealing.  Again I was wrong.  It had just a slight taste of sauce, not sweet but with a touch of heat - but not too much.  The one flavor that I really picked up on was the taste of grilling.  This fish is the best!  And to top it all off - It has 80 calories and .5 g of fat!  Can't beat that.  Now I can't wait to try the other flavors.  Next will be Garlic Butter Tilapia, and then the Roasted Garlic and then I get Lemon Pepper.  Yum!

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