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1) We don’t eat nearly enough
The Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency recommends a minimum of 8 ounces and a maximum of 12 ounces of seafood per week. Well, according to a recent USDA analysis, 80 to 90 percent of Americans don’t consume close to the recommended amount.
That’s a striking majority of the American population. And why pass up the bounty of the sea?
2) It’s good for you (Like real good)
Fish contains varying amounts of mercury, a heavy metal and environmental pollutant. Many people steer away from fish because excessive mercury can build-up in our tissues and eventually cause brain damage.
But the health benefits from eating seafood heavily outweigh any minimal risks.
Eating fish dramatically improves children’s brain development, helps prevent dying of a heart attack, slows brain aging, and lowers the risk of depression and mood disorders. Also, fish is rich in healthy omega-3 fat, which is known to help neutralize mercury’s negative effects.
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3) It could step up your cooking game
Salmon, shrimp, pollock, tuna, tilapia, catfish, trout.
Grilled, seared, baked, blackened, or even simmered into a stew.
There is a widespread range of fish to choose for your masterpiece and a number of ways to cook it.
If you don’t know where begin, don’t worry. Cooking fish can be easy. It’s one of the quickest-cooking proteins, which makes it less time consuming than other meals. Want to take it slow? Just start with baking a fillet of fish. If you bake the fish (rather than grilling or broiling it) the lower temperature with help you catch it from becoming overdone.
To start off preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place the fish fillet on a spayed baking sheet. Take your pick: Season with salt and pepper, Old Bay, Cajun spices, or lemon or lime juice. Bake the fish for only 10 minutes. To tell if it’s fully cooked, make sure it’s no longer transparent and flakes easy when you fork it.
This could be the beginning of a whole new culinary world (And one that’s 100% less cut-throat than that of Gordon Ramsey).
The world is your oyster.
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4) It doesn’t have to be expensive
It can be expensive, but if you know how to look, buying seafood can be in the same price range as buying a steak or even chicken breast. Ask the employee at the fish counter of your grocery store to help you pick out the cheapest and best quality seafood. Go to your local fish market or fishmonger for a fresh and budget-friendly cut of the day. Frozen and canned seafood is also a great option with equally good health benefits (just be wary of added sodium).
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5) It could help you slim down
Eating seafood can help with weight management. It’s a great source of protein and low in calories, sodium and cholesterol.
And you can cut down on red meat by substituting one hamburger, Sloppy Joe or steak filet for a delicious fish dinner. Sounds like a great way to participate in meatless Mondays.
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h/t: The Washington Post