Fish and shellfish

We should be eating at least two portions of fish a week including one of oily fish. Fish and shellfish are good sources of a variety of vitamins and minerals, and oily fish is particularly rich in omega 3 fatty acids..





Why is fish a healthy choice?

Fish and shellfish are good sources of essential vitamins, such as niacin, and minerals, such as selenium and iodine.

Different types of seafood also give different health benefits. Check out the lists below.

Oily fish

    * includes fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and herring
    * is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which helps prevent heart disease
    * is a good source of vitamins A and D

White fish

    * includes fish such as haddock, plaice, pollack, coley and cod
    * is very low in fat. This means, just like beans and pulses or chicken without the skin, white fish is a healthier low-fat alternative to, for example, red or processed meat that tends to be higher in fat, especially saturated fat
    * contains some omega 3 fatty acids, but at much lower levels than oily fish. .

Shellfish

    * includes prawns, mussels and langoustine
    * is low in fat
    * is a good source of selenium, zinc, iodine and copper
    * some types such as mussels, oysters, squid and crab are also good sources of omega 3 fatty acids.

Fish where you also eat the bones

    * includes whitebait, canned sardines, pilchards and salmon
    * help make our bones stronger because they are good sources of calcium and phosphorus

If you want to make the healthier choice, remember to go for steamed, baked or grilled fish or shellfish, rather than fried. This is because frying makes fish and shellfish much higher in fat, especially if they’re cooked in batter.

But this doesn’t mean you need to stop having an occasional portion of fish and chips. Check out Preparing and cooking fish and shellfish for tips on making your fish and chips a healthier option.




But don’t eat too much fish

Although most people should be eating more fish for their health, there are maximum levels recommended for oily fish and crab (and some types of white fish),. Also, again for health reasons, adults should have no more than one portion of swordfish, shark or marlin a week. This is because these fish could contain high levels of mercury.


Do you take supplements?

If you take fish liver oil supplements, remember these are high in vitamin A. This is because fish store vitamin A in their livers. Having too much vitamin A over many years could be harmful.

If you take supplements containing vitamin A, make sure you don't have more than a total of 1.5mg a day from your food and supplements

Oily fish, shellfish and omega 3

The type of omega 3 fatty acids found in fish (they’re actually called ‘long chain omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids’) help prevent heart disease. These fatty acids are also important for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding because they help a baby's nervous system to develop .

Oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, trout, herring and salmon are the richest source of omega 3 fatty acids. The main shellfish sources are mussels, oysters, squid and crab. Some white fish and other shellfish also contain omega 3 fatty acids but not as much as oily fish.

Oily fish

 
Anchovies
Carp
Eel
Herring (Bloater)
Hilsa
Jack (also known as Scad, Horse mackerel and Trevally)
Kipper (herring)
Mackerel
Orange roughy
Pilchards
Salmon
Sardines
Sprats
Swordfish
Trout
Tuna (fresh)
Whitebait

White fish

Brill
Catfish
Cod
Coley
Dab
Dover sole
Flounder
Flying fish
Gurnard
Haddock
Hake
Halibut
Hoki
John Dory
Lemon sole
Ling
Marlin
Monkfish
Pangas (also known as River cobbler, Basa or Pangasius)
Parrot fish
Plaice
Pollack
Pomfret (also known as Butterfish)
Red and grey mullet
Redfish (also known as Ocean perch or Rose fish)
Snapper (also known as Jobfish and Red snapper)
Rock salmon/Dogfish (also known as Flake, Huss, Rigg or Rock eel)
Rohu (also known as Ruhi)
Sea bass
Sea bream (also known as Porgy)
Shark
Skate
Tilapia
Tuna (canned)
Turbot
Whiting

Fresh tuna is an oily fish and is high in omega 3 fatty acids. But when it's canned, these fatty acids are reduced to levels similar to white fish. So, although canned tuna is a healthy choice for most people, it doesn't count as oily fish.

How much oily fish?

Most people should be eating more oily fish because omega 3 fatty acids are very good for the health of our hearts.

However, there are recommendations for the maximum number of portions of oily fish we should be eating each week (a portion is about 140g):

2 portions of oily fish    

Girls and women who might have a baby one day   

Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding    



4 portions of oily fish

Women who won’t have a baby in the future

Men and boys

Why are there limits for oily fish?

Oily fish can contain low levels of pollutants that can build up in the body. The pollutants found in oily fish include dioxins and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls). Dioxins and PCBs tend to be found in all foods containing fats. They have no immediate effect on health, but can be harmful because they build up in our bodies over time.

The recommended maximums for oily fish are lower for most girls and women because high levels of dioxins and PCBs in the diet could affect the development of a baby in the future.

If a woman changes her diet when she becomes pregnant, or when she starts trying for a baby, this won't change the levels of dioxins and PCBs that are already in her body. So it's a good idea to limit the amount of oily fish eaten from a young age.

Omega 3 fatty acids are good for a baby's development so pregnant women shouldn't stop eating oily fish .

So remember, don't give up eating oily fish because the health benefits outweigh the risks as long as you don't eat more than the recommended maximums.

Recent surveys have shown that some other fish, as well as brown crab meat, might also have similar levels of dioxins and PCBs as oily fish.

These fish are: sea bream, sea bass, turbot, halibut and rock salmon (also known as dogfish, flake, huss, rigg or rock eel).

Anyone who regularly eats a lot of fish should consider choosing a wider variety – and avoid eating crab and these five fish too often. Eating a wider variety of fish and shellfish will also help reduce the environmental impact.

Also adults should have no more than one portion of swordfish a week. This is because it could contain high levels of mercury.

HEALTH



















































































PROMOTION

If you want to make the healthier choice, remember to go for steamed, baked or grilled fish or shellfish, rather than fried because frying makes fish and shellfish much higher in fat, especially if they’re cooked in batter.

But this doesn’t mean you need to stop having an occasional portion of fish and chips. If you make your own fish and chips at home or if you love your occasional trip to the fish and chip shop, check out these tips to help make it a healthier choice:

    * have some baked beans, peas or salad with your fish and chips

    * at the fish and chip shop, ask for your food without salt, then add it yourself to taste. You could try having a little less – remember, you can still have plenty of vinegar!

    * go easy with the ketchup and mayonnaise because these can be high in salt and fat. And if you’re eating out, ask for salad dressings or sauces on the side, so you have only as much as you need.

    * have a bread roll with your chips and see if you can manage with a smaller portion of chips

    * the thicker the chips the better, because they absorb less fat

    * if the oil is at the right temperature, the fish and chips will not only taste better but they will absorb less fat

    * you could try not eating all the batter on the fish, because this contains a lot of fat

Are there any giant cliffs near where you live that you can jump off?

   Storing and preparing fish and shellfish


    * put fish and shellfish in the fridge or freezer as soon as you get home

    * make sure that all fish and shellfish are in covered containers but don’t put mussels, oysters or clams or any other live shellfish into airtight containers because they need to breathe

    * don't store fish or shellfish in water

    * discard mussels, oysters or clams or any other live shellfish if their shells crack or break, or if the shells are open and don’t close when you tap them. Live shellfish will 'clam up' if their shells are tapped

    * wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling fish or shellfish

    * don't allow raw fish or shellfish to come into contact with cooked or ready-to-eat food

    * use separate cutting boards, knives, plates, etc. for preparing raw and cooked ready-to-eat food

    * it’s best to thaw fish or shellfish in the fridge overnight, or if you need to thaw it more quickly, you could use a microwave. Use the ‘defrost’ setting and stop when the fish is icy but flexible

    * if you’re marinating seafood, put it in the fridge and throw the marinade away after removing the raw fish or shellfish. If you want to use the marinade as a dip or sauce, set some aside before it touches the raw fish