Seafood Nutritional Content and Health Benefits – An Overview

‘Food’ is one amongst the basic needs of humans which plays a vital role in the proper functioning of mind and body. But, it’s the consumption of healthy food which has the potential to offer a hassle-free lifestyle. One form of food which when consumed in the right proportion offers an ample amount of health benefits with its high nutritional content is ‘Seafood’.

It’s a high-protein food that is low on calories as well as total & saturated fat. Seafood is being recommended by nutritionists for its good vitamins and minerals composition which brings in numerous health benefits to our dining table. Recent surveys have put forth that eating quality seafood can mitigate the risks associated with heart attack, hypertension, obesity, stroke, etc. Besides, seafood also consists of necessary nutrients for the overall development of infants and children.

Let’s get some deeper insights into the nutritional content of seafood:

Low-calorie, High-protein

Seafood is considered to be a low-calorie source which makes it a perfect dietary recommendation. Most of the low-fat fish species like sole, flounder, cod, etc. comprise less than 100 cal per 3-ounce portion cooked. When it comes to fattier fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, etc. the calorie content outlined is just 200 per serving. Talking about protein – seafood is a comprehensive source of protein which is just an add-on to its nutritional content. Serving a 3-ounce fish and shellfish successfully offers nearly 30-40% protein averagely required by a human body daily. It’s inner assemblage showcasing less connective tissue as compared to poultry and red meat makes it easier to digest.

Seafood holds a decent amount of amino acids that effectively empower and ensure healthy growth and optimum development of the foetus when consumed in moderate amount and recommended by medical practitioners.

Low Fat and Cholesterol

When it comes to fat composition, seafood is considered to be a low total and saturated fat meal. Most of the fish and shellfish consist of less than 5% of total fat, while the fattiest fish like king salmon and mackerel have close to 15% fat. Seafood consists of a large proportion of polyunsaturated fat alongside omega-3 fatty acids which bring in a plethora of health benefits for the human body.

Marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids namely Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) can play a significant role in contributing to the vision and brain developments of the infants, suggests scientific pieces of evidence. The evidence also proposes that these fatty acids can also reduce the risks associated with heart disease.

Almost all the animal source foods comprise of Cholesterol in different amounts. Present-day dietary recommendations notify that one should limit the cholesterol intake to 300 mg per day. Nearly all fish and shellfish consist of less than 100 mg of cholesterol per 3-ounce of serving. Also, many of the lean fish offer less than 60 mg of cholesterol consumption.

A Comprehensive Source of Vitamins and Minerals

Seafood (especially fish oil) is one of the largest natural sources of vitamin D, vitamin A, and B-complex vitamins. B-complex vitamins efficaciously impact the human body and help in the healthy development of the nervous system. While vitamin A is necessary for healthy vision and skin, vitamin D plays a profound part in the overall development of bones.

Fishes like Yellowfin tuna is a good source of minerals like iron, selenium, iodine, zinc, etc. This is followed by other seafood options which include crab, salmon, halibut, clams, sardines, oysters, shrimp, etc.

Selenium is an antioxidant that has the potential to prevent cell damage and also help in countering the adverse effects of mercury. While zinc helps in cell growth and creating a powerful immune system, iodine helps in maintaining thyroid gland functioning and iron aids in the production of RBCs. Intake of whole small fishes like anchovies and sardines provides a decent amount of calcium required for the overall development of bones.

Here’s a list of benefits associated with seafood consumption:

Brain – One of the major contributors to neurological development in infants and children.

Eyes – Contributes to the sight improvement and nerve growth in the retina.

Muscles – Plays an essential role in muscle and tissue building.

Heart – Consumption of right proportion of quality Seafood can:

– Mitigate the risks associated with cardiovascular disease

– Reduce the chances of getting a heart attack

– Decrease the risks related to heart arrhythmias and blood triglyceride levels

– Boost the circulatory system

– Improve the level of High-density Lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (Good)

– Rahul Niraj