Thursday 27 November 2014

Fish and shellfish

A healthy diet should include at least two portions of fish a week, including one of oily fish.
That's because fish and shellfish are good sources of manyvitamins and minerals. Oily fish – such as salmon and fresh tuna – is also particularly high in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which may help to keep your heart healthy.
Most of us should have more fish in our diet, including more oily fish. However, there are maximum recommended amounts for oily fish, crab and some types of white fish. There is additional advice for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and children and babies.
Fish that is steamed, baked or grilled is a healthier choice than fried fish. Frying makes fish and shellfish much higher in fat, especially if they’re cooked in batter.
To ensure there are enough fish to eat now and in the future, we should try to eat a wide variety of fish and to buy fish from sustainable sources.
Nutri

Types of fish

Different types of fish and shellfish provide different nutrients.

Oily fish

Salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and herring are all examples of oily fish. Oily fish are:
  • high in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which may help prevent heart disease
  • a good source of vitamin D
Some oily fish contain bones that you eat. These include whitebait, canned sardines, pilchards and tinned salmon (but not fresh salmon). These fish can help keep our bones strong because they are good sources of calcium and phosphorus.

White fish

Cod, haddock, plaice, pollack, coley, dab, flounder, red mullet, gurnard and tilapia are all examples of white fish. 
White fish are:
  • low in fat, making them one of the healthier, low-fat alternatives to red or processed meat, which tends to be higher in fat, especially saturated fat
  • a source of omega-3 fatty acids, but at much lower levels than oily fish

Shellfish

Shellfish includes prawns, mussels, scallops, squid and langoustine. 
Shellfish are:
  • low in fat
  • a source of selenium, zinc, iodine and copper
Some types of shellfish, such as mussels, oysters, squid and crab, are also good sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, but they do not contain as much as oily fish.

Oily fish and omega-3 fatty acids

Oily fish contains a special kind of fat, called long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.
Long-chain omega-3 may help prevent heart disease. It is also important for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding because it can help a baby's nervous system to develop.

Which fish are oily fish?

These fish are all oily fish, and so are good sources of long-chain omega-3:
  • anchovies
  • carp
  • herring (bloater, kipper and hilsa are types of herring)
  • jack (also known as scad, horse mackerel and trevally)
  • mackerel
  • pilchards
  • salmon
  • sardines
  • sprats
  • trout
  • tuna (fresh)
  • whitebait
Canned tuna does not count as oily fish. Fresh tuna is an oily fish, but when it is canned the amount of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids is reduced to levels similar to those in other fish.
Oily fish are the richest source of long-chain omega-3. Some white fish and shellfish also contain long-chain omega-3, but not as much as oily fish. The main shellfish sources of long-chain omega-3 are mussels, oysters, squid and crab.

How much fish should we eat?

A healthy diet should include at least two portions of fish a week, including one of oily fish. Most of us aren't eating this much.
But for certain types of fish there are recommendations about the maximum amount you should eat.

How much oily fish should I eat?

We should eat at least one portion (around 140 grams when cooked) of oily fish a week.
Oily fish can contain low levels of pollutants that can build up in the body. For this reason there are maximum recommendations for the number of portions we should be eating each week. These recommendations are different for different groups of people.
  • Women and girls should eat no more than two portions of oily fish a week if they may become pregnant in future or if they are currently pregnant or breastfeeding. This is because pollutants found in oily fish may affect the development of a baby in the womb in the future.
  • Men and boys, and women and girls who know they won't become pregnant in future, can eat up to four portions of oily fish a week.
  • http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/fish-shellfish.aspx
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