Food Of The Week: Fish and Shellfish

Why did the trout cross the road?
Because it was the chicken's day off!

If I were to ask you how many times per week, you ate fish or shellfish, what would your answer be? Would you be glancing down at the floor, sweating profusely and telling me you don't really like fish? Or would you be telling me a whopper (oh! You eat fish everyday!) and giving me a cheeky grin? Well here is the opportunity to improve your health, give the chicken a break and reap the benefits of eating fish.

Something Fishy? Indeed!

• Eating fish two times per week greatly reduces your risk of developing heart disease. This discovery stemmed from the Inuits, whose risk of heart disease was very low and whose diet was mainly based on fish.


• Fish and shellfish are rich protein sources (15-20 % protein is found in fish muscle) and the amino acids combined to make up that protein compare favourably to those in milk, meat and eggs. More than 2.6 billion people get at least 20% of their animal protein from fish.


• Fish contains very minute amounts of carbohydrate.


• Fish and shellfish are also both rich in vitamins such as B Vitamins and Vitamin Cand D. Fatty fish have higher proportions of dark muscle tissue and thus a higher proportion of fat, hence the high concentration of fat-soluble Vitamins A,C,D and E.
  
• Fish and shellfish are also rich in most minerals.
  
• In white fish, such as cod, most of the fat is found in the liver, hence the fish is used to supply our diets with cod liver oil.


• Fish and shellfish are low in saturated fat and cholesterol (high cholesterol levels in the blood are related to a high intake of saturated fat, rather than a high intake of cholesterol-rich foods). As the fat content in a fish falls, so does the protein content.


• Fish and Shellfish are also well known for being rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

The Omega-3 Fatty Acid Deal:


Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of healthy fat found in oily fish such as salmon, mackeral and sardines as well as shellfish. The amounts of fatty acids vary, depending on the type of fish or shellfish. As a rule of thumb, the fattier fish contain more fatty acids than leaner white fish, but this will also vary amongst the different fish species and how the fish are farmed.

• These fatty acids increase your "good" cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) and reduce your "bad" cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) as well as triglycerides (fat).


• Omega fatty acids also help prevent blood clots, by stopping the platelets sticking together and attaching to the artery walls, forming a clot.


• Omega fatty acids help the blood vessels constrict less, so the heart is less vulnerable to irregular heart rates.


• Omega-3 fatty acids help protect against arthritis and depression.

Tips To Ensuring The Fish You're Buying is Safe:

• Fish and shellfish should be stored and prepared correctly, to ensure they are safe to eat.


• Most microbes (bacteria) are destroyed during cooking,thus it is best to cook the fish, unless it is being prepared by a certified sashimi chef.


• Avoid eating fish which contain high amounts of mercury, such as swordfish, shark and marlin, as this is dangerous to the nervous system, particularly in infants. Tuna contains small amounts of mercury, whilst fish like cod, haddock and salmon have very little mercury.


• When buying fish at a market, buy as soon as the market opens, as the fish will be the freshest.


• The freshness of fish is determined by the colour of the gills and the clearness of the eyes. Fresh fish will have bright red gills and clear eyes, so avoid any fish that has murky brown gills or cloudy eyes.


• The fish should also have firm flesh and should smell of the sea, not fish!

Have A Fish Braai!

Having a fish braai is an excellent way to introduce people to the idea of eating fish. A great example of this is the great Cape Classic: a snoek braai. And having fresh fish marinaded and grilled over hot coals, is great for those wanting to improve the health of their hearts! With a fish braai, the fish is easy and quick to cook; its nutritious and its yummy and it's ideal in this hot summer weather!


When braaing fish or shellfish, brush them slightly with olive oil, which will stop them sticking to the rack.

Ensure the rack is clean, as the fish will easily pick up the flavours of the food that was previously cooked on there.

• Try and use the freshest fish availible.


• Fish fillets cook very quickly, so be aware of over-cooking them.


• Add spices and herbs such as rosemary or thyme, by sprinkling them over the fish or shellfish and this will give the fish a divine taste and aroma.


• Lean fish steaks and shellfish should be left in marinade before going on the braai.


• If one cannot braai, you can always fry your marinaded fish lightly on a griddle- pan.

It is obvious that the benefits of eating fish often far outweigh any risks, and it is important that we make the effort to improve our health status. So as an incentive, I have left my famous tuna salad recipe below: so why not make it, taste it, wipe the mayo off the side of your mouth, lick your lips and let me know what you think! Adios!

Famous Tuna-Salad Recipe:

This salad can usually feed about three people, however my sister can polish it off in one go, she loves it so much, so proceed with caution! I usually put the salad with a few lettuce leaves on a roll...mmmmm. Nuff said.

Ingredients:
1 large spring onion, sliced
2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
4 or 5 medium-sized gherkins, chopped
1 can tuna, drained
2 tbls French mayonaise (I use the Woolworths one)
3 fresh crispy rolls
a few lettuce leaves, washed and sliced
salt and pepper

What to do:

Add all the chopped ingredients and tuna together and mix. Add the mayo and season with salt and pepper. Place into rolls with lettuce and wolf down!