How Do I Make Healthy Seafood?

Preparing healthy seafood recipes can benefit the entire family. A convenient and easy recipe for a boxed lunch to take to school or work is seafood salad. All that is needed is tuna, salmon, shrimp, or crab meat mixed with mayonnaise and seasoned with celery seed. To make your seafood even healthier, add finely chopped or shredded carrots and serve over a bed of lettuce or fresh spinach. When making healthy seafood choices, be sure to include choices that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Remember to practice safe food handling when preparing your healthy seafood.

Eating fresh salmon may have substantial heart health benefits. Omega-3 can be found in salmon and even in tuna. It should be noted, however, that certain seafood may have a high mercury content and should be avoided during pregnancy. Swordfish contains higher levels of mercury than shrimp, for example. Halibut however is a good choice for healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Choosing shrimp as a healthy seafood choice is an excellent way to experiment with various recipes. Shrimp can be prepared in salads and makes a healthy and convenient take-along meal. Another healthy and satisfying way to enjoy the benefits of shrimp is to prepare it with pasta. Adding a creamy Alfredo sauce over shrimp and pasta with fresh minced garlic is one idea. Fresh vegetables may also be added.

Regardless of which seafood you choose, how you prepare your meals also is important. For healthy seafood meals, avoid cooking in oils. Rather than frying your fish, choose to bake or grill them. Shrimp prepared on a barbecue grill will turn out succulent and tasty without unnecessary fat from cooking oil.

To be safe when preparing healthy seafood, always thaw your seafood in the refrigerator rather than on the counter. Cross contamination is another concern when preparing seafood. By handling raw fish, your hands may become contaminated with bacteria. Wash your hands with warm soapy water after handling raw fish and use a glass cutting board instead of wooden board, as it easier to disinfect.

Keep a few safety tips in mind when you pack seafood or tuna fish salad for lunch. Use an insulated lunch bag or a cooler to maintain proper temperatures if the seafood will not be refrigerated for a period of time. This will reduce any risk of developing a food-borne illness that could be potentially serious. If you don't have a cooler, place an ice pack inside the lunch bag to keep your seafood salad cold.