The United States Department of Agriculture says twice a week, make seafood the protein on your plate. Increase the amount and variety of seafood consumed by choosing seafood in place of some meat and poultry.
Last night Lloyd and I ate at a fun French restaurant in our neighborhood that offers over ten types of les moules (mussels). You'll notice in the before and after pictures, we also ate pommes frites (French fries) - absolutely mouthwatering when dipped in the mussels broth. Any time we indulge in this treat, it brings to mind the "French Paradox" - the juxtaposition between France's rich diet and its people's fit physiques. Many suspect it comes down to calories; the French simply eat smaller portions and stop when they are full.
Another cultural conundrum explored recently is the "Japanese Paradox." The people of Japan have similar blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels as Americans, but have the lowest incidence of heart attacks in the world. Researchers suspected it might be genetics, but that was ruled out in a recent study because heart disease among Japanese men who live in Japan is much lower than Japanese men who live in western cultures.
Researchers pinpointed the likely cause to be diet-related - fish consumption specifically. The Japanese eat seafood up to eight times each week, and their blood levels of fish-based omega-3s show it. Among Japanese men studied, even those with the lowest amount of omega-3s in their blood had levels higher than the average for Western men. This sky-high supply of omega-3s was associated with lower levels of build-up in the Japanese men's arteries.
I am a registered dietitian with the National Fisheries Institute, so fish is my nutrition forte. I earned my BA in Communication from Southwestern University, just outside of Austin, TX. During college, one of my very favorite evening outings was a leisurely trip to the grocery market. My passion for food was undeniable, so I combined both of my interests by earning my MS in Nutrition Communication from Tufts University in Boston, MA. As well as my Registered Dietitian (RD) credential through the University of Delaware.
Beyond reading scientific studies about docosahexaenoic acid and selenium, I love to entertain, travel, watch reality TV, grill outdoors, and go to spin class. I live in Kailua, HI on the island of Oahu where my husband serves as a US Marine Corps JAG.
People in Hawaii eat more fish and shellfish than average, but over 80 percent of typical Americans don't eat seafood at least twice per week. Doctors and dietitians like me say that's the goal, so BlogAboutSeafood is here to show you just what plenty of seafood looks like in an RD's real-life diet.
Photo by Marco Garcia
