Health & Nutrition

MyPlate Recommendation

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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.

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sardine and sun-dried tomato pasta in honor of another seafood-supporting report

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The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, a prestigious panel of smarty-pants that suggests how the government can give better nutrition advice, has been working on their report for the last 20 months.  It seems like it’s been a slow process – I could have completed another master’s degree or conceived and delivered at least one child in the amount of time this has taken – but when I saw the report I completely understood why. It’s exhaustive and very, very lengthy. However, the takeaways are ironically straightforward. The following nuggets just about sum “what to eat” up:
 
o       Shift food intake patterns to a more plant-based diet that emphasizes vegetables, cooked dry beans and peas, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. In addition, increase the intake of seafood and fat-free and low-fat milk and milk products and consume only moderate amounts of lean meats, poultry, and eggs.
 
o       Significantly reduce intake of foods containing added sugars and solid fats because these dietary components contribute excess calories and few, if any, nutrients. In addition, reduce sodium intake and lower intake of refined grains, especially refined grains that are coupled with added sugar, solid fat, and sodium.
 
Phew, because that’s how I like to eat.  Case in point, my lovely lunch of sardine and sun-dried tomato pasta.  I took a picture of the ingredients before combining them so you could see how simple it is – a few silvery canned sardines, chopped shallots, shredded basil (mine was a fancy red variety I’m growing), and sliced sun-dried tomatoes.  Yummy and surprisingly mild.
 
Sardines, by the way, are a superfast way to get to the “250 mg per day of long-chain [omega-3] fatty acids” the report suggests. This amount – found in about 2 servings of a variety of fish per week – prevents heart disease and boosts brain development.  That’s why everyone, especially pregnant women, should “increase [their] intake of seafood.”
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About Jennifer

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

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