Making delicious fish and seafood part of your healthy diet
Zaak OConan

Maximizing protein content while minimizing fat and calories is a goal of many people who are trying to lose weight, gain fitness or just enjoy a healthier diet. There are few foods that combine low fat, low calories and high protein the way fish and seafood do.

In addition, the protective oils in many cold water fish are being studied for their possible role in preventing heart disease and lowering levels of cholesterol in the bloods.

In addition, fish dishes are delicious, easy to prepare and often inexpensive. Many people have avoided buying more fish because they were unsure of how to cook and prepare it. While fish dishes can sometimes be a challenge, there are many recipes, both online and in cookbooks, that make it easier than ever to prepare fresh fish for yourself and your family.

Many nutritionists recommend that everyone eat fish at least twice a week. Substituting low fat, low calorie fish dishes for more calorie dense, fatty meats is a great way to lower the amount of total fat in your diet, and this can boost your level of fitness or help you lose weight.

The amount of protein in fresh and frozen fish and seafood is very high, certainly comparable to higher fat sources like beef, pork and lamb. And fish is generally thought to be a healthier choice, since all that protein comes with less fat and fewer calories. Everyone knows about the importance of protein in the diet, for both children and adults. Protein is a vital building block of muscle, and it plays a role in repairing muscle damage, growing strong nails and hair and other important bodily functions.

While protein is found mainly in animal based foods such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and dairy products, there are plant based sources of protein as well. These non animal sources of protein include peanut butter, lentils, peas and nuts. The downside to many protein laden plant based foods, however is their high content.

This is yet another feature that makes fish so appealing as a source of protein. Fish contains just as much protein as many of these higher fat, higher calorie sources. Eating fish provides – shall we say – a greater protein bang for the buck than many other sources.

You may have heard that salmon contains a lot of fat, and it is true that salmon does contain more fat than many other fish. Compared to high fat meats like sausage and bacon, however, salmon is still a relatively low fat source of protein. Like other fatty foods, however, it is important for those watching their fat intake to limit their consumption of salmon.

One advantage fish has over other types of meats is the type of fat it contains. Most meats contain saturated fats, which are solid at room temperature. Unlike cattle, pigs and other land animals, the fat in fish is of the polyunsaturated variety. Polyunsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature, and they are healthier fats for the people who consume them.

Saturated fats are thought to play a greater role in heart disease, stroke and hardening of the arteries. That is why healthy cooking typically involves the use of polyunsaturated fats such as canola oil and olive oil, instead of saturated fats such as beef lard and butter.

Many people worry about the level of pollution in general, and mercury contamination in particular, in fish. While it is true that polluted waters are of some concern when it comes to fish, seafood products are actually quite safe to eat.

In addition, many types of fish, like salmon and sardines, are farm raised, and their diet and environment is strictly controlled. It is recommended, however, that fishermen and fisherwomen limit the amount of their catch that is eaten if they live near a polluted river or stream. The local fishing and hunting authority usually issues guidelines for eating fish in areas where pollution is a problem.
About the Author

Zaak O’Conan discovers and presents useful information on how to enhance and/or repair your life, body and relationships. You’ll find his other articles on eating better and other ways how to improve your life at http://your-health-center.com

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When you looked in the mirror this morning did you groan with the protruding love handles? Were you blown away by the thunder thighs and balloon butt looking like it was out of air? Did the commode seat creak and shift around when you set down? If you answered yes to any of the above, perhaps you should read on about the weight loss zone diet.

Does the weight loss zone diet really work, or is it just another fad diet?

Without doubt, the zone diet is one of the most famous diets in the world, largely due to the celebrities who have vocally taken part in this diet. Cindy Crawford, Jennifer Aniston, Renee Zellweger, Charlie Sheen and Tiger Woods are just a few celebrities who have reportedly tried the zone diet.

What is noteworthy is that none of these celebrities were actually overweight! That proves that the zone diet is not solely about weight loss, but also about a healthy lifestyle.

So how does the zone diet work exactly? The main principle of the zone diet is that it states an intake of 40%/30%/30% ratios of carbohydrates, protein and fat. This translates into a low carbohydrate diet.

These type of diets, 40%/30%/30% have become somewhat dangerously fashionable in some circles. The weight loss zone diet however is not as restrictive or strict as many other more hardcore low carb (or carb free) diets. The Atkins diet is one example of a diet that is more restrictive than the zone diet

For all its success stories, the American Heart Foundation still does not approve of the zone diet. This is due to its high protein content and lack of essential nutrients which are vital to the human body. They are also concerned about the lack of information and research about long term effects of undertaking the zone diet for long periods of time or permanently.

Many nutritional experts are also skeptical of the zone diet due to lack of scientific research or fact backing up the claims.

Although the zone diet is a high protein diet, the developer of the diet later released a Soy Zone diet. This made the diet plan more suited to vegetarians, who were put off the regular zone diet by its high meat content. The Soy Protein diet simply uses a soy protein base for its meals rather than meat.

It is a common statistic that people who undertake fad diets gain their weight back again a short time later. Why is this so? Well the reason behind this fact is diets like the zone diet are simply unsustainable over long periods of time.

Your body can not live without the carbohydrates that are being taken away from it during the zone diet. Your body will continue to crave carbs until you finally give in. And when you give in, because your body is not used to all these high calorie carbohydrates, they cause you to put on more weight than before you began the diet!

The weight loss zone diet appears to work well for certain people. Its just a matter of striking a balance between following the diet to a T or deviating from it a little to include some more of the essential nutrients to keep your body healthy.

As with all diets you should contact your personal physician to determine if the diet could be detrimental to your health.

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