Seafood week: Week 41 of BigBarn’s food and drink weeks

From the fishermen who catch the fish, fish mongers who sell their produce, to the chefs who create excellent creations for you, seafood is a fantastic healthy alternative to the midweek food drag. By eating just two portions of seafood per week helps support the British seafood industry and is a healthy and fast meal option for you and your family.

Fish is very good source of nutrients, being rich in omega 3 which helps contribute to a healthy heart, brain, the skin and the joints. Protein is found in all fish but Halibut, Swordfish and Tuna are very high in protein, essential for building and the maintenance of muscle. Shellfish such as Mussels contain Vitamin A, which is crucial for the function of the eyes. Iodine can be found in Seaweed and Cod which helps the thyroid function, which is essential for growth and metabolism.  Selenium can be found in Tuna and is essential for enzyme function, Zinc is found in Clams, Crab and Lobster and helps wound healing as well as cell growth. Potassium is found in all cells and Vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium which is crucial for bone and teeth growth, Salmon is a great source of these nutrients.

11 facts about seafood:

1. Fish should always be cooked at a low to medium temperature. When you do this, you are going to ensure that all of the moisture that the fish has is preserved is still there upon consumption. Never cook fish at a temperature more than 350 degrees. At the kind of heat, you’re risking losing a ton of flavor.
2. You can tell if a piece of fish is fresh by doing your own little test. Get a pot of cold water and put the piece of fish in the water. If the fish floats, it means that it has been caught pretty recently. If the fish sinks, it may not be as fresh as you would like for it to be.
3. The best way to thaw fish is by using milk. Take frozen fish and place it in milk to allow it to give it a great color and give you a great flavor.
4. Having trouble getting oysters out of their shell? Try to get some club soda and let the oysters soak in it for a few minutes. It can help with the process of getting them out of their shells.
5. Fish are full of Omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, tuna, trout and herring are all fish with high levels of Omega-3. This is considered the good fat and can actually be very healthy to your heart.
6. Pregnant women should not eat fish of any type more than twice in any given week. The reason for this is that fish can be contaminated with different types of bacteria as well as mercury that can be harmful to the unborn child.
7. Comparing the protein content of sardines against a steak is pretty impressive. Eating 100 grams of sardines is going to give you more protein than eating a steak of the same weight.



8. Fish can counter your sodium intake. When you consume a lot of fish, you can actually reduce some of the negative impact that your body is going to get from consuming a great deal of sodium.
9. Halibut and tuna are the safest fish to eat in terms of bacteria. Sole is also typically seen as a very safe fish to eat.
10. Shellfish have the ability to filter through roughly 15 to 20 gallons of water every single day.  Shellfish survive by filtering this water out.
11. Really fresh fish is best eaten raw like Sushi but needs to be fish that are predators and live near the surface like tuna, sea bass, swordfish, mackerel, trout, salmon, octopus and not deep sea fish like cod.

    If you’re looking for a high quality fish supplier then check out MarketPlace where you can purchase delicious fruit de mer online. Or if you’d rather shop closer to home, head to local food map to find a retailer near you.

    We’d love to hear about your favourite fish recipes. For a chance to win a prize, please video your recipe and add it to KIS (Keep it Simple) Cookery. Please have a look at existing videos here and try and keep your video less than 2 minutes long.