5 Best and 5 Worst Seafood Dishes for Your Health
To judge the 5 best and 5 worst seafood dishes to have, you would have to consider multiple factors. First we start off with how the dish was cooked, then move on to freshness and the type of meat used.
When it comes to seafood that you can add to your seafood dinner menu, you would have to keep in mind that there are lots of good choices, but some are always better than the others.
When it comes to food that is good for your health, you would have to limit cream, oil, salts, unsaturated a.k.a bad fats and mercury (which comes from sea fish).
So now comes the question, do you know what is in your seafood meal?
If you don’t we are here to assist you!
In this blog, we have picked out some of the most popular seafood dishes that are loved and consumed by many people. We are sure that you too would have had the following quite a few times in your lifetime.
So let’s discuss which one of the most popular seafood dishes consumed around the world are actually healthy for your mind and body and which ones are your worst enemy.
Hang on tight, because some of these might come off as a surprise!
Table of Contents
Best to Have: Salmon
This one is not new. We all are well aware of the fact that salmon is one of the healthiest fish to consume. it is a nutritional darling that you will see on the menus of many seafood restaurants. You will find that salmon is rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
Moreover, being a canned fish it is much more healthy as it has less mercury than tuna. If you do not wish to go for a canned option then wild-caught Alaskan salmon is the best option. Salmon can also have chemicals called PBCs, so it is better that you cut away or drain the extra fat and the darker meat.
Worst to Have: Fish and Chips
Heads up, this one is going to make you upset! However, it is not hidden from anyone. We all know that anything deep-fried is automatically struck off from the list of healthy dishes. Therefore, starting off, fish and chips, while very popular, are deep fried and that is not a good start . Moreover the tarter sauce and ketchup that it is served with is even more fat, sugar and calories.
Although, if you really love fish and chips and still wish to consume it every once in a while, we suggest that you bake it. When baking, you can try crusting the fish with cornflakes instead of breadcrumbs, for a crunchy crust. You can mix potatoes with the cornflakes to help them stick better.
With baking you can control the amount of oil which will be better for your health. To top it off you can go with a simple lemon wedge. It is a really low-calorie and a healthy way to add a bit of flavor and fun to your meal.
Best to Have: Shrimp Cocktail
Simple delicious and healthy to have is the definition of shrimp cocktail. The shrimp used to make this dish is usually steamed or boiled, which is a healthy way. Moreover, shrimp itself is high in protein and low in fat and mercury, which it yet another great seafood option for everyday meals.
Now it all comes down to the sauce. The sauce can be quite unhealthy , especially the classic bottled tomato-based type. These sauces can hide a lot of sugar in them. Therefore, they are usually listed as high fructose substances. So if you wish to make your shrimp cocktail healthy, we suggest that you make a sugar free version of the dip at home.
Worst to Have: New England Clam Chowder
How is clam chowder the worst? This may be a surprise, given that it has clams in it which are full of protein. But you must remember that this chowder is also full of cream, butter, and salted pork.
Which when put simply means that you could get a lot of calories, saturated fats, and sodium all in one dish. While you can’t have it every day, you sure can save this treat for special occasions only.
Best to Have: Canned Tuna
You know this! Canned tuna is super healthy. This lean fish is rich in proteins and omega-3 fatty acids which makes it a wonderful addition to your seafood dinner menu. However, instead of going for fresh tuna, due to its mercury levels, we suggest you opt for canned light tuna. If you are also watching your calorie intake go for tuna packed in water instead of oil. It is a much healthier option.
Best to Have: Manhattan Clam Chowder
Now this is a chowder that is healthy for you, enjoy it as much as you wish to!
Instead of cream and butter, the Manhattan clam chowder is made with a base of tomatoes, which is a really good start. Other healthy ingredients that are added to this chowder are potatoes, carrots, and onions. All of this adds up to make one cup of this chowder up to 135 calories, with very little unsaturated fat.
Moreover, consumption of mercury is also not a concern when it comes to this dish, as shellfish like mussels, oysters, and clams used in it, usually don’t have mercury in them.
Worst to Have: Broiled Swordfish
No matter how you have prepared the swordfish or how you cook it, this fish is likely to have dangerously high levels of mercury which is not good for human health. While having it once in a while does not pose any dangers to your health, having too much of it can cause damage to your brain and kidneys.
Moreover, if you’re pregnant it may hurt the baby or cause a miscarriage. Infants and the elderly who have weak immunity systems may be more sensitive to exposure to mercury in their diets. Make sure that you do not have swordfish in the house if there are infants and elderly.
Best to Have: Salad With Anchovies
Salads and anchovies, both are food sections that are healthy for the human body. Anchovies being a small fish and a short life span makes them less likely to have mercury, PCBs, and other harmful chemicals in them. The great thing about them is that they are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that is much needed by the human body for optimum functioning.
However, if you are opting for packed anchovies be careful, as they can come with a lot of salt. So check the label before you add them to your diet. This is the best way to control your sodium intake.
Worst to Have: Sushi
Sushi in a seafood dinner menu is a must-have. But is it healthy? The answer is yes and no. Why?
Sushi can be good for you due to lean protein, loads of omega-3 fatty acids, and little to almost no fats, sugars, and calories. However, on the flip side, sushi is raw fish, and that needs expert handling. The bacteria and parasites that may be present in meat, do not get cooked away due to sushi being raw. Which when not handled and served properly can lead to serious health scares.
Moreover, with consumption of sushi you can expose yourself to larger amounts of mercury. As fish that are usually used in sushi like ahi and bluefin tuna are high in mercury.
Best to Have: Oysters
Oysters are great to have and to include in your seafood dinner menu. This is because this single seafood dish will give you a boost of proteins and micronutrients such as zinc, copper, vitamin D, and manganese. But this is not where it ends, oysters have calcium too!
All of these nutrients are thought to be aiding in slowing or even preventing bone loss due to osteoporosis in older women. Additionally, this dietary source of micronutrients is said to be more effective than supplements. So don’t stop and keep having your favorite oyster dishes!
Happy Eating!
With this we come to an end of our pick of some of the most popular seafood dishes and the best ones along with the worst ones to have. You can now add the healthiest seafood dishes to your everyday seafood dinner menu and enjoy! However, keep in mind that when you are cooking for yourself and your family, make sure to buy fresh seafood.
