1. For your heart
By far the most researched and well-known nutritionalreason for eating more fish is for the health of our hearts. The recommendation by the American Heart Association and many other health experts is that we should consume fish at least twice a week. Eating fish, particularly oily fish, is said to play a part in blood thinning and stroke prevention due to the content of omega-3 fatty acids.
This year, the American Heart Association released a new advisory on eating seafood, as the body of evidence has grown so much since their last statement, according to Eric Rimm, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston.
“It was time to come up with a new statement on the beneficial effects of seafood in preventing not just heart disease, but stroke, heart failure, sudden cardiac death and congestive heart failure,” Rimm said. He advised that people eat a wide variety of fish and eat it regularly.
The report recommends focusing on eating fish with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids including certain types of salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, and albacore tuna. Other types of fish and shellfish, such as cod, catfish, tilapia, and shrimp still contain omega-3s but in lower amounts, and offer separate nutritional benefits.
Jo Ann Carson, a dietitian and professor at the Unviersity of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, even goes so far as recommending vegetarians consider becoming pescatarians.
The Mediterranean diet has long been touted as the best for our health, and this tuna dish from “Another Dish” blog, brings many of those elements together: Tomatoes with their heart healthy lycopene, a red wine sauce, (loaded with resveratrol), and a nice healthy dose of garlic.
Braised tuna steaks in a red wine caper sauce (serves 6)
Ingredients
- 3 lbs tuna steaks, cut into 4-inch pieces
- 2 quarts’ cold water
- 2 tablespoon salt
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely grated or minced
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 2 lbs ripe tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup capers, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 lb Spanish green olives, pitted and halved
- 4 oz. (3/4 cup) golden raisins
- 1 1/2 cups red wine
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- Crusty bread
Method
- Combine the cold water and 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl. Stir until salt is dissolved. Place the tuna pieces in the water, and let stand for 1/2 an hour. Rinse under cold water, and dry with paper towels.
- Heat olive oil in a large, shallow sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the tuna pieces and sear on all sides. Remove from pan and let stand on a plate.
- Turn heat to low. Add the garlic and onions; sauté for about 5 minutes, just until soft.
- Add 1 tsp salt, capers, olives, raisins and wine. Turn heat up to high, partially cover and cook for 4 minutes. Add the vinegar.
- Reduce heat to low. Add tuna to the sauce, partially cover and braise for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand for 1 hour. Season to taste with additional salt. Serve with toasted crusty bread slices.
