MARITIME 



MORSELS 



Seafood 

 is Heart 

 Food 



By Joyce Taylor 



T 



JJiere is big news for health- 

 conscious people. The American Heart 

 Association now recommends that 

 individuals eat "at least two servings of 

 fatty fish, such as tuna or salmon," weekly. 



The dietary guidelines were an- 

 nounced last fall in Circulation: Journal of 

 the American Heart Association. Based on 

 results of more than 200 recent studies, the 

 guidelines have been expanded to include 

 specific recommendations tailored to an 

 individual's risk of heart disease and stroke. 



The guidelines are easier to use 

 because they stress overall eating patterns, 

 rather than a percentage of dietary fat or 

 other nutrients. 



A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, 

 legumes (beans), whole grains, low-fat 

 dairy products, lean meats and poultry is 

 still recommended. And, for the first time, 

 two weekly servings of fish are included. 



Why seafood? Research in the 1970s 

 revealed a direct relationship between the 

 consumption of seafood and the low 

 incidence of heart disease in Greenland 

 Eskimos. This was attributed to the 

 presence of highly polyunsaturated fat 

 called omega-3 fatty acids — found 



primarily in seafood — in their diet. Since 

 then, continuing studies have confirmed the 

 benefits of fish in cardiovascular health. 



Other studies indicate seafood may have 

 a part not only in preventing heart disease, 

 but also in the prevention of other diseases. 



In May 1985, the prestigious New 

 England Journal of Medicine stated: The 

 consumption of as little as one to two fish 

 dishes per week may be preventive in 

 relation to heart disease. 



For years physicians have recom- 

 mended low-fat fish as part of a healthy 

 diet. Now we know that seafood with 

 higher fat content is also good for us 

 because of omega-3s. 



How can you know the omega-3 

 content? The general rule: The higher the 

 fat content, the higher the omega-3s. 



While the new AHA guidelines 

 mention fatty fish, remember that other fish 

 and shellfish are also beneficial in many ways. 



Most seafood is low in fat, saturated 

 fat and cholesterol. Many species of finfish 

 contain less than 5 percent fat. Shellfish 

 have less than 2 percent. The oil in seafood 

 is rich in polyunsaturated fat, the type that 

 tends to lower blood cholesterol. 



A common misconception is that 

 shellfish are high in cholesterol. Early tests 

 measured all sterols in shellfish, not 

 distinguishing cholesterol from the others. 

 Now with sophisticated equipment, we 

 know this is not true. 



Most oysters, clams, scallops and 

 mussels contain about 30 to 50 mg per 

 serving. Shrimp and crabs have about 55 

 to 150 mg, making them acceptable in the diet. 



Most finfish have fewer than 100 

 milligrams of cholesterol per serving — 

 3.5 ounces raw. 



Cooking methods can add fat. choles- 

 terol and calories. Baking, broiling, 

 steaming and poaching usually require 

 less fat. 



Frying is out of favor with most 

 nutrition guidelines. But you can often 

 lightly saute food without adding much fat. 



In light of the current controversy 

 about harmful effects of trans fatty acids 

 found in margarine, some people have 

 begun to use a little butter instead. And you 

 can use olive oil, which is monounsaturated. 



Remember that the fat in a recipe 

 should be divided by the number of servings 



Continued 



COASTWATCH 21 



