Is Seafood Healthy? Types, Nutrition, Benefits, and Risks

Posted On Feb 08, 2022

Seafood is an essential part of many people’s diets around the world and eating it has been associated with a variety of health benefits.

Seafood refers to several types of animals, including:

• fish
• crustaceans, like lobster and shrimp
• mollusks, like clams and oysters
• echinoderms, like sea urchins

This article explores the evidence-based health benefits of seafood and also covers some of the potential downsides to eating it.

Evidence-based health benefits of seafood

There’s no doubt that seafood can positively influence health. Decades of scientific research have shown that diets high in seafood may help protect you from a variety of health conditions.

Plus, seafood is rich in nutrients that tend to be low in many people’s diets.

Here are some of the most impressive health benefits related to eating seafood, according to research.

Highly nutritious

Seafood is a concentrated source of many essential nutrients. Fish and shellfish, like salmon, clams, and shrimp, are particularly high in protein plus vitamins and minerals, like vitamin B12, selenium, and zinc.

For example, a 3-ounce (85-gram) serving of cooked clams provides:

• over 3,500% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin B12
• 99% of the DV for selenium
• 21% of the DV for zinc
• 13% of the DV for iron

A half fillet (154-gram) serving of wild-caught salmon delivers (3Trusted Source):

• 196% of the DV for vitamin B12
• 131% of the DV for selenium
• 85% of the DV for vitamin B6
• 21% of the DV for potassium

Studies show that many people don’t consume adequate amounts of certain nutrients that are concentrated in seafood, including vitamins B12 and B6, selenium, iron, and zinc.

This is concerning, as nutrient insufficiencies and deficiencies could negatively affect both physical and mental health and increase the risk of developing certain health conditions, including anemia, depression, and more.

Therefore, eating seafood could cover common nutritional gaps, especially in people with diets low in nutrients and those who are more likely to have suboptimal intake or low blood levels of nutrients concentrated in seafood.

Young women, older adults, and people who are pregnant and breastfeeding may be especially at risk of having lower levels.

Primary source of omega-3 fatty acids

Seafood is the primary dietary source of the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

EPA and DHA are involved in many aspects of health, including nerve cell function and the regulation of inflammation.

Research shows that diets high in seafood significantly benefit the health of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Scientists think this is mainly due to the content of EPA and DHA in seafood.

For example, studies show that people who consume high amounts of omega-3-rich seafood tend to have lower rates of heart disease and cognitive decline.

Linked to reduced disease risk

Because seafood is rich in nutrients, including protein, vitamins, minerals, and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, it may offer protection against several health conditions.

A 2020 review that included 34 analyses of studies found that the higher people’s fish consumption, the lower their risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), heart attack, heart failure, stroke, depression, and liver cancer (23Trusted Source).

The review also showed that eating fish was associated with a lower risk of death from all causes.

Another 2020 review that included 40 studies demonstrated that higher fish consumption was significantly associated with a lower occurrence of CHD (18Trusted Source).

It also found that people who had a higher fish intake also had a significantly reduced risk of death from CHD.

Additionally, the study found that, as fish intake went up, CHD incidence and CHD-related death went down. Every 20 grams more of fish people ate per day was associated with a 4% decrease in CHD incidence and death from CHD.

This led the researchers to suggest people consume 60 grams of fish per day to reduce CHD and CHD-related death (18Trusted Source).

Original Article : https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-seafood-healthy