National Seafood Month

It’s National Seafood Month! October is all about sustainable seafood around here. Everyone knows that seafood is an excellent component of a healthy diet, but overfishing, bycatch, and seafood fraud can make it challenging to decide which fish to eat. We asked our partners over at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program to share some advice for buying seafood that has been fished or farmed responsibly. Your seafood choices are critical to a healthy ocean, so grab a Seafood Watch guide or the app, and let’s go shopping!

CHECK OUR RECOMMENDATIONS

To find the right seafood recommendation, you’ll need to know three things: the species (what kind of fish is it), where the seafood is from and how it was caught or farmed. For example, if salmon is on the menu, find out if it's Atlantic, Chinook, Chum, Coho, Pink, or Sockeye salmon. Next, ask where it’s from and how it was caught or farmed. Sometimes it can be hard to find out how seafood is caught or farmed. Often just knowing the country of origin will tell you whether to buy a product. Also, check to see if we have recommended an eco-certified option. If in doubt, choose a different Best Choice seafood.

CHOOSE A BUSINESS (OR FISHERMEN) YOU TRUST

Many businesses have already made commitments to sustainable seafood. Shopping at a restaurant or grocery store with commitment means that you can do your research before visiting and be confident that what is offered meets your sustainability expectations. If you have access to a local fisherman, that’s another great way to learn more about the seafood you’re buying and the people that harvested it.

ASK QUESTIONS

The easiest thing you can do is ask the question: "Do you sell sustainable seafood?" By doing so, you help drive change in the marketplace. The more businesses hear support for sustainable seafood, the more interest they have in providing it as an option. We encourage you to thank the businesses that sell sustainable seafood and ask those that don’t to visit SeafoodWatch.org.

CONSIDER BUYING WHOLE FISH

Whole fish may seem outside the comfort zone of home chefs, but it is more affordable, versatile, and is less likely to have fraudulent labeling. If you have our Seafood Watch recommendations handy, whole fish can be a great way to guarantee you’re getting the sustainable product you paid for. Finally, if whole fish is available, ask the store to clean, gut, and portion it for you.

BE ADVENTUROUS

In North America we mainly eat five seafood products: canned tuna, shrimp, tilapia, salmon and pollock. Considering Seafood Watch has recommendations for over 300 species, that is a very limited menu! Next time you buy seafood consider trying something new: from arctic char to clams to seaweed, there are hundreds of Best Choices for you to explore!

 Reference:

1. Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Program. https://www.seafoodwatch.org/.

Written by Julia Jordan

OCTOBER 2020

weeatlivedowell.com

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NATIONAL SEAFOOD MONTH

October is National Seafood Month and a great time to clear up some confusion about fish. On one hand, thanks in part to their omega-3 fatty acids, fish has been credited with everything from making us smarter to decreasing heart disease risk. On the other hand, we see warnings about avoiding fish because of mercury and other toxins. Add sustainability factors like over-fishing and by-catch and it can be difficult to decide if fish should have a place on our plates.

FISH AND HEALTH
The most recent Dietary Guidelines recommend that most adults eat fish twice per week. Fish offer a unique combination of protein and beneficial fats that has been linked with lower risk of heart disease and improved brain development in babies. Certain fish, however, have been found to contain higher than recommended levels of the toxic metal methyl mercury, and shouldn’t be eaten frequently. Varying the type of seafood you eat can help reduce your chances of taking in too much mercury.

FISH AND SUSTAINABILITY
The oceans may seem to have an endless supply of fish, but that may not be the case. Advances in how we fish have had unintended consequences for the overall health of ocean life. Issues such as over-fishing and by-catch have taken a toll and are threatening the sustainability of our seafood supply. Many fish, however are raised and caught in a way that helps maintain the health of the oceans overall. If you want to consider the sustainability of ocean life when choosing your fish, you can consult guides such as those available through Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program.

BOTTOM LINE
Current research suggests that the benefit of eating fish in recommended amounts outweighs the potential risks. Being selective in your fish choices can help you maximize the health benefits while reducing potential exposure to toxins and negative impacts on ocean life. The Environmental Defense Fund’s Seafood Selector offers suggestions for fish that are both good for you and good for the ocean.

Reference:

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/
2. EDF Seafood Selector. Available at http://seafood.edf.org/

Written by Jennifer M. Roberts, MS, RD

OCTOBER 2019

balanceittakesyou.com

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National Seafood Month

with campus executive chef Tom Barton

Hi everyone! Did you know October is National Seafood Month? We will be celebrating on Tuesday the 24th at both International Village and Levine Marketplace (Stetson East) with delectable menus and  a display of fresh caught seafood. Get ready to see – and touch – the seafood display as well as enjoy some locally caught sustainable seafood!

All of the fish we serve daily is verified sustainable as well as the tuna is FAD free. We are proud to partner with companies like Red's Best, which is a local fish and seafood provider that focuses on working with local family fishermen. Red's Best guarantees they will buy the fishermen’s catch and get them a fair price, which is typically a concern for the fishermen. Another awesome thing about Red's Best is that they have a program that focuses on underutilized species.

I know here on the east coast we tend to love all of our traditional white fishes like cod, but unfortunately they have been over fished and the government has put many restrictions and quotas in both fishermen and traditional fishing areas. Red's Best is leading the way with colleges, universities and restaurants is serving many of the underutilized species such as haddock, Pollock, ocean perch and dog fish. Red's Best also focuses on locally raised shellfish such as oysters and mussels.

From a  chefs perspective, one of the cool things about working with Red's Best and their underutilized program is that often we do not know what they have until hours before our order arrives. Mostly because they do not know the catch of the day until the local boats unload at the pier. Our order comes with a QR code that specifies the particular species, name of the boat, captain and the fishing method used to catch the fish which is becoming more and more important.

Red's Best owner and founder Jared Auerbach will be on campus Tuesday at International Village and Levine Marketplace along with a few other staff members from Red's Best to help us celebrate National Seafood Month. Be sure and stop by and say "Hi" and get a taste of some of this awesome product, prepared into delicious dishes by our culinary team!
  

Tom

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National Seafood Month: Eat More Kinds Of Seafood More Often

Eating patterns that consist of multiple foods is important to an overall healthy diet. Seafood should be part of that healthy eating pattern. Seafood includes fish and shellfish. 

Based on the Dietary Guidelines it is recommended that the general population consume about 8 oz. of seafood (two 3 ½ oz. servings) each week. There are a number of health benefits that go along with eating seafood.  Seafood consumption increases ones intake of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA), which plays an important role in the anti-inflammatory process, reducing cardiovascular issues and has been associated with the reduction of cardiac deaths among those with existing Cardiovascular Disease. Seafood consumption has also been linked to boosting memory and reducing stress hormones- just another great reason to incorporate seafood into your healthy eating pattern! 

Something else to note about seafood is that it is a great source of high quality protein as well as many vitamins and minerals (including selenium and vitamin D).

Keep in mind that when choosing seafood- broiling or baking is a healthier option than deep-frying.

Note: mercury is a toxin that accumulates and for that reason, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that pregnant and lactating women and young children avoid eating certain fish: swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel. The EPA has no health warning to limit seafood consumption for any other population group.

References: 

1. Dietary Guidelines 2015-2020.  Chapter 1: Key Elements of Healthy Eating Patterns.  https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/chapter-1/a-closer-look-inside-healthy-eating-patterns/#callout-seafood Accessed October 5, 2017
2. Fish Friend of Foe? https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fish/ Accessed October 5, 2017

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Eat Seafood More Often

The American Heart Association advises eating 2 servings of fish per week to maintain good health. Each serving should be 3.5 oz cooked, which is about the size of a deck of cards

• Fish is a great source of high quality protein as well as many vitamins and minerals, omega-3 fatty acids and some even contain vitamin D.
• It may reduce the risk of stroke, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and other chronic conditions.
• Fish consumption has also been linked to boosting memory and reducing stress hormones.

Fatty fish, such as salmon, lake trout, herring, sardines and tuna, contain the most omega-3 fatty acids and therefore provide the greatest benefit, but most types of seafood contain small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Depending on how the fish you choose to eat is cooked, will determine how healthy that choice turns out to be. For example, broiling or baking fish is a healthier option than deep-frying.

It is important to note that mercury is a toxin that accumulates and, for that reason, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that pregnant and lactating women and young children avoid eating certain fish: swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel. The EPA has no health warning to limit seafood consumption for any other population group. Scientific studies have found that the benefits of eating seafood greatly outweigh the risks and that removing or reducing seafood from the diet can have negative effect on ones health.

References:

1. "Fish: Friend or Foe?" http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/fish/.
2. "Does mercury contamination outweigh the health benefits of eating fish?" http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/in-depth/omega-3/art-20045614?pg=2.
3. Eating Seafood Sustainably. Sylvia Geiger, MS, RD
. Today’s Dietitian
 Vol. 14 No. 6 P. 38 (June 2012). http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/060112p38.shtml.

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The Healthy Benefits of Fish

With Northeastern Dining recently partnering with Red's Best to bring seafood straight from the waters off the New England coast to campus dining halls, it is a great time to discuss the health benefits of eating fish. The American Heart Association advises eating two servings of fish per week for maintaining health. Research studies are proving that consuming fish 2-3 times a week can enhance physical and mental health while higher daily doses can help treat illness, combat disease, and boost brain power. Fish is becoming a sought after health food as long-chain omega-3 fatty acids [Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)] are found in fish. These fatty acids have essential properties that can enhance health and improve health issues in a variety of ways including memory enhancement, improvement in inflammatory conditions, and a boost in the immune system.

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Red's Best: From the Sea to Your Plate

While we may be back to seasonal temperatures after having been teased by summer weather a few weeks ago, one thing is certain: the summer fishing season is just around the corner. Winter's hold on the ocean waters has subsided and local fishermen are feverishly preparing their boats and crews for a return to the sea. What does this all mean for dining at Northeastern?

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