Wild-caught seafood is the magic ingredient that has it all: Protein, Omega-3s, DHAs, and vitamin D, among additional nutrients that make it the perfect food to anchor a healthy diet. Researchers have noted that seafood acts as the ideal protein to consume in modern times, where in developed countries and around the world, lifestyle-related diseases have become a significant health issue.
It’s not just what wild-caught seafood provides to nurture our bodies. It's also what it doesn’t have: contaminants, synthetic additives, and negative fat composition. Salmon has additional nutrients that other lean proteins won’t give you, such as astaxanthin and selenium, nutrients that help to keep your skin looking plump and protect against skin cancer.
One of the most cited examples of why it's great to phase out other meats for seafood is its ability to lower the risk of many types of cancer. The World Health Organization has reported that most red and processed meats have been linked to causing cancer. Other peer-reviewed studies have also noted the dangers of consuming red meat, such as ground beef, which has been directly correlated to increased risk of mortality, cardiovascular diseases, colorectal cancer, and type 2 diabetes in both men and women. Colon and rectal cancers, in particular, have been studied extensively in recent years as they have been linked to the consumption of red meats. Colorectal cancers are now the third most common cancer in men and the second most common in women in recent years.
Thankfully, the switch won’t be too difficult, as there are three major ways you can easily swap out your processed meats for some seafood:
1. Swap that chicken breast for some salmon fillets.
There are many ways to cook salmon fillets, most of them far quicker and easier than cooking a chicken breast. You can pan-fry them, marinate them, bake them, honestly, the cooking opportunities are endless! Plus, the versatility of salmon is so similar to chicken that it’s easy to build a full meal around it, meaning adding whichever fresh greens, frozen veggies, rice, potatoes, and spices you have left in your kitchen is more than enough to create an entirely new and delicious meal every time.
2. Get that ground beef out of your fridge and replace it with some ground sockeye.
Next time you're making your favorite home cooked meal, forget the ground beef and try some ground salmon, instead. Robust in flavor and easy to prepare, ground sockeye is a lean, omega-3 rich substitute for ground beef, making it the perfect, healthier option the next time you have a burger night or whip up some pasta bolognese!
3. Craving a sandwich? Try white fish instead of cold cuts.
The key to a healthy diet lies in variety, something that seafood has much of. Try to switch things up a bit by replacing your usual turkey or ham sandwich for lunch with a more elevated option: white fish. White fish has many qualities, such as its high protein profile, brain-boosting nutrients, and low calorie count. Try out our BBQ rockfish sandwich recipe, which is flavorful and incredibly easy to make.
