How To Buy and Prepare Quality Fish to Boost Your Nutrition

Are you eating way more chicken than fish? Are you a slave to canned tuna? Are you cooking your fish into a rubber slab? When it comes to the seafood intake of the typical guy there is a lot to be desired. And that is problematic considering that fish large and small can provide a major nutritional boon and be downright delicious to eat when prepared with care.

Research suggests there can be longevity benefits by swapping out some of the red meat and processed meat in the diet with fish, especially so-called fatty fish. Eating a diet rich in fish can unlock a sea of nutritional benefits including protein, omega fats, and a range of vital micronutrients like vitamin D, selenium, and vitamin B12. For men, consuming seafood one to two days a week was linked to a reduced risk of developing cardiometabolic disease and subsequent multimorbidities including Type 2 diabetes, myocardial infarction and stroke, according to a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition. So, yes, there is a boatload of reasons why you should serve fish for dinner more often.

Yet, despite all the finer points of seafood, dietary intake data suggests that most Americans aren’t eating the recommended amount—at least two 3.5-oz servings a week. Typically, we fall back on chicken and other meat for protein intake, in part, because of accessibility and affordability, and also a lack of culinary know-how, or a worry about contamination. We get it, deciding on what types of seafood to add to your shopping cart and figuring out how to prepare them can leave you feeling like you’re barely treading water.

Getting inspired to feast on more ocean critters is just a matter of wading through the murky waters and becoming educated on which fish to catch and which to release and also learning some savvy cooking techniques that won’t leave you pondering, where’s the beef?

Use these fish buying and cooking rules to help you navigate the world of seafood like Captain Ahab and get hooked on this primo fitness food.

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Don’t be too Kean on Lean

You’ve probably heard that when you are feasting on animal-based proteins you should focus mostly on “lean proteins.” What does lean protein mean? The loose definition of a lean protein is one that has no more than 3 grams of fat per ounce. That would include items like chicken breast and pork tenderloin. Salmon and sardines, however, would not be considered lean proteins. Some of the focus on lean protein is a holdover from the days when fat was the enemy.

Yes, you want to moderate your intake of saturated fat from meats like beef, but you still should cast your line for less lean, more fatty fish on the regular. That’s because a big chunk of fat in these species of swimmers is in the form of mega-healthy omega-3s.

Like Taylor Swift strolling through a Walmart, omega-3 fats with their bevy of health virtues are no strangers to being gawked over. Recent research has found people with greater levels of omega-3 fats had a lower risk for early death from conditions like cancer and heart disease, compared with those with lower levels of these healthy fats. Omega-3s impact on cell signaling and inflammation in the body may be why they are so powerful for our health.

For the most part, salmon, trout, mackerel, arctic char, sardines, sablefish, anchovies, and herring are among the best high-fat fish. Tuna can also have substantial amounts of omega-3s, but this comes with the risk of consuming more mercury. There is less proof that lean species like tilapia and haddock, which are omega-poor, have the same health-boosting benefits, especially if they are battered and fried. Fish and chips should never be classified as health food.

Cut Bait on Canned Tuna

As a cheap source of protein, canned tuna has long been a staple for muscle-minded men. But it’s also a protein source with potentially more heavy metal than a Metallica album. The somber news is that canned tuna can be a source of troubling amounts of mercury, and recent testing of canned tuna has shown that levels have remained fairly stable over the last few decades.

Consumer Reports tested a handful of popular canned tuna brands and found levels can vary considerably, with some cans having worrisome amounts and others being safer. So it’s clear this is a contamination problem that is far from solved. Mercury is a known neurotoxin and while it’s more concerning for pregnant women and developing children it’s a good idea for all of us to limit exposure. Mercury has been linked to a greater risk for heart disease with high intake levels. (Although, there is some data to suggest that mercury intake from seafood may not pose a risk to heart health which may indicate that the nutritional virtues of fish like omega-3s outweigh the problem of consuming mercury from it.)

The web is full of stories of people who eat canned tuna daily and end up with sky-high mercury levels and some of the associated symptoms including blurred vision, decline in motor skills, memory loss, and tingling of the extremities.

This is all to say that you may want to gravitate toward other species of canned fish like salmon and sardines more often that will have lower mercury levels. When it comes to canned tuna, consider eating more light tuna than the white stuff. A rule of thumb is that bigger fish typically have higher mercury levels than smaller ones because they are higher up in the food chain and consume more mercury-containing fish so it accumulates in their flesh. This is why smaller light and skipjack varieties generally contain much less mercury on average than albacore (white) tuna.

So let’s say you want to eat three cans of tuna a week, you could make two of them the light variety and the other one the tastier solid white type and this would help bring your mercury intake down. Note that the types of tuna packed in pouches are the same as what is put in cans so the same rules apply.

Tread Lightly

Some species are buckling under unrelenting harvesting pressures from teched-out fishing fleets or are being brought onboard using dubious techniques like bottom trawling (think clear-cutting the seafloor). Pacific or Atlantic halibut? If you’re standing at the fish counter scratching your head on how to make the most environmentally sustainable seafood choice, help is within reach.

You can browse through the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch for up-to-date recommendations on the choices that are the least harmful to the environment and the health of our oceans. Some options are great or not-so-great choices based on where they are sourced from, be it the wild ocean or fish farms. Top performers include:

• Arctic char
• Wild salmon
• Catfish
• Clams
• Tilapia
• Mussels
• Trout

A study published in Communications Earth & Environment suggested that replacing land-based meat like beef and pork with some sustainably sourced seafood such as mussels, clams, oysters, anchovies, mackerel, and herring may reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and supply us with a better nutrition bounty—a win-win.

When dining out, you can surf over to the James Beard Smart Catch program, which has a growing list of restaurants committed to populating their menu with seafood from sustainably managed fisheries.

Don’t Be Fresh Obsessed

Frozen fish can be your subzero heroes. State-of-the-art flash-freezing technology (blast freezers that quickly drop the temperature of fresh fish brought onboard) that is now widely used by the industry when processing fish results in no loss of quality for species like salmon, shrimp, and barramundi. So the fish in the freezer case may be better quality than the fresh fillet that has been sitting on ice for a bit too long. You should know that a large amount of the “fresh” fish displayed on ice was indeed previously frozen for shipping purposes and to aid in killing off any parasites. These not-exactly-fresh swimmers are then thawed for display.

What’s more, frozen fish can be more economical and lets you store it in the freezer and use it when needed. And sometimes you can find more variety than what is available at the seafood counter. It’s recommended that you allow frozen fish to thaw in the refrigerator and then pat away excess moisture with a paper towel before cooking. Can’t plan ahead? Yes, you can cook fish straight from the freezer.

Simply rinse your frozen cut under cold water to remove any frost or ice that’s accumulated, pat dry with a paper towel and brush the fish with a thin layer of oil before seasoning with a pinch of salt and pepper. Proceed to cook as you normally would for non-frozen fish, but add a few minutes to the heating time.

Upgrade Your Salmon

When it comes to canned salmon, you generally have two options: pink or sockeye. If you can afford the higher cost, opt for the latter. Not only does sockeye salmon have a richer flavor than pink, but it also delivers an extra dose of omega-3 fat and vitamin D. Sockeye has roughly 30 percent more vitamin D and omega-3 fats. But if you need to keep your grocery bill under stricter control, pink is still a great choice and delivers just as much protein (23g in a 100g serving) as its more expensive counterpart. For either canned fish, it’s a good idea to eat the softened bones as this will give you good amounts of bone-benefiting calcium.

It’s worth noting that the vast majority of the canned salmon on store shelves is wild and sourced from Alaska, which is considered a well-managed fishery with stricter regulations than many overseas operations. This goes a long way in helping you be a conscious pescatarian.

Scale Down

When it comes to fish, oftentimes less is more. Oily fish like Atlantic herring, Pacific sardines, smelt, and anchovies might be small (and, undeniably, somewhat stinky), but nutritionally they loom large with impressive amounts of fab fats, protein, minerals, and vitamin D. And with short lives and less body weight, they don’t accumulate much in the way of toxins to help you better say in your safe mercury zone.

Not to mention they are some of the cheapest proteins around. Canned sardines are easy to add to sandwiches and pasta dishes, anchovies dissolve into sauces and dressings for a shot of umami and Scandinavians praise pickled herring on crackers and open-faced rye sandwiches. Taste buds can be trained, so start with small amounts until you get used to their stronger flavors.

Flex Your Mussels

Many people feel that mussels are a restaurant dish—something only to order off the menu and not cook at home. But they’re a very affordable option in times of high food costs, not to mention easy to cook at home and loaded with nutritional goodies like protein and vitamin B12. Plus, these shellfish and exceptionally sustainable – they filter and clean the water they are farmed in and don’t require all the feed and antibiotics given to farmed salmon. Simply hat mussels in a pot of steamy liquid, which can range from water to broth to wine, until they pop open, about three minutes. Clams and oysters are similarly nutritious and sustainable, but mussels tend to be easier on your food budget.

Surf the Web

People selling fish at the supermarket aren’t always savvy on how or where it was caught or farmed. In some cases, shopping for seafood online can make it easier to ID exactly what you’re getting and also source some of the most nutritious catches. Sites such as wildalaskancompany.com have a bounty of nutritious, sustainable options like sockeye salmon and halibut on offer. And shipping rates are usually reasonable even if your are miles from the nearest tide.

Sushi-Grade is a Myth

Want to try your hand at DIY sushi or ceviche? There is no need to beg for sushi-grade salmon or tuna from your fishmonger. Officially, the terms “sashimi-grade” and “sushi-grade” mean nothing. Instead, the key is to purchase your fish from a reliable seller who is confident that what you’re buying can be used for purposes where you are not applying heat such as ceviche, as long as you follow handling protocols including keeping the fish adequately chilled until serving. That means not buying a piece of salmon you’re going to serve unheated and then letting it sit in the trunk of your car for hours.

Go Low and Slow

Fish can go from perfectly cooked to way over-done quickly. Especially devastating if you’ve just paid $20 bucks a pound for a good piece of fish. A great way to keep fish moist is to use a lower oven cooking temperature than you would with other meats. This way it takes longer for the fish to become overcooked and rubbery. What you want to do is set the oven temperature to a more moderate 300°F and add only a minute or two to the cooking time. Using an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat helps ensure you’ve properly prepared the fish to make it safe to eat but not too well done. The safe temperature for fish and seafood is 145 degrees F.

Nuke It

Surprise, surprise! One of the easiest, quickest, and most delicious ways to cook fish is in the microwave. Microwaving fish such as salmon or tilapia in parchment paper packets traps steam to add moisture, thereby almost guaranteeing you won’t dry out your catch of the day, one of the biggest reasons why people are reluctant to cook fish. Plus, no fishy smell in the kitchen (this is less of a perk for your house cat).

Simply fold a 14-by-18-inch sheet of parchment paper in half. Open up the sheet and place a cup or two of sliced veggies such as broccoli, bell pepper, asparagus or zucchini on one side of the sheet; then top with a fish fillet and any seasoning you wish. Fold the empty side of the parchment sheet over the fish and crimp shut. Heat on high power for 5 minutes and then let the packet rest for 5 minutes before serving. Now that is what I call healthy fast food.

You Don’t Actually Have to Cook Fish

A great way to wedge more fish and its bounty of muscle-building protein and health-hiking fats into your diet is to embrace more no-cook options. These give you a good excuse to step away from the oven and press the easy button at mealtime. Use the choices below as a fuss-free way to boost nutrition in salads, sandwiches, tacos, and pasta dishes.

• Canned Salmon
• Frozen cooked Shrimp
• Canned Sardines
• Smoked Salmon or Trout
• Canned Oysters or Canned Mussels
• Lump Crabmeat
• Pickled Herring

Salmon Loaf with Curry Yogurt Sauce Recipe

Convenient canned salmon is a nutritious swap for ground beef when making weeknight meatloaf. The curry spiced yogurt sauce adds a sophisticated touch.

Makes 4 Servings

Salmon Loaf (Ingredients)

• 3 (6-oz) cans pink or sockeye salmon, drained
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup quick-cook oats
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Curry Yogurt Sauce (Ingredients)

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp lemon zest

Salmon Loaf with Curry Yogurt Sauce  Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, flake salmon with a fork and stir in eggs, oats, carrot, shallot, garlic, parsley, lemon, salt and pepper. Add salmon mixture to a 9×5-inch greased or parchment paper-lined loaf pan and spread until the mixture is well compacted.
2. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for several minutes in pan before serving.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, curry powder and lemon zest.
4. Serve slices of salmon loaf topped with yogurt sauce.