Seafood Improves Health

The more the medical community learns about seafood the more seafood is being recommended as an important part of a healthy nutritional diet.

The Omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants found in abundance in seafood benefit the heart, lungs, skin, eyes, brain, arterial system and even the immune system.

Seafood is a source of vitamins A, C, D, E and B-12, of minerals such as zinc, iron, phospherous and calcium, and is an excellent source of proteins. Although low in calories, sodium and saturated fats, the "bad" fats, seafood provides the "good" fatty acids, such as Omega-3, which have been proven to lower cholesterol, decrease blood clotting factors and decrease inflammation in blood vessels, arteries and veins, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. Studies have even discovered that men who ate shellfish at least once a week reduced their risk of sudden cardiac death.

Seafood contributes to retinal nerve growth and may reduce dry eye symptoms. People suffering from asthma, bronchitis and other chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may experience a reduction of symptoms by increasing the amount of seafood in their diet. There are indications that seafood may help relieve symptoms of skin diseases such as psoriasis and eczema, and it is believed that seafood may play a part in reducing the risk of depression and other cognitive diseases such as Alzheimer's, while at the same time contributing to healthy brain development in babies.