Are You Getting Your ‘Twice a Week?’
Twice a week – that’s how often the USDA,
American Heart Association,
American Medical Association and the
American Diabetes Association say people should be
eating seafood. Despite these recommendations, fewer than 20
percent of Americans are getting the recommended amount. Are you among them?
Take the Pledge
Eating seafood twice a week helps:
- Counter the affects of diabetes
- Reduce risk of stroke
- Protect against heart attack and sudden death
- Decrease blood pressure
- Decrease risk of heart arrhythmias
- Decrease bad and increases good cholesterol
- Improve circulation
Eating seafood provides countless health benefits. It helps to counter the affects of diabetes,
reduces the risk of stroke, protects against heart attack and more. So, whether you have diabetes, are concerned about heart
health or just want to be sure you are getting the nutrients you need, seafood should be incorporate into your diet at
least twice a week. Consider the following:
- Seafood is filled with heart–healthy omega–3 fatty acids, protein, selenium and vitamin D, and is
low in saturated fat, cholesterol and calories.
- The American Heart Association,
USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans,
American Medical Association and
American Diabetes Association all say consumers should eat
fish at least twice a week.
- The Journal of the American Medical Association says eating fish reduces the risk of death from
coronary disease — the single largest killer of Americans, according to the American Heart Association —
by 36 percent.
- The American Diabetes Association has stated nearly 20 million Americans have diabetes
— many who don’t even know it yet. Foods low in calories
and high in protein and omega–3, such as seafood, can help reduce the disease’s effects.
- More than 44 million Americans are considered obese — 37.1 percent are African American women and 32.2 percent
are African American men (Centers for Disease Control). Meanwhile, seafood is low in saturated fat
and calories, and filled with heart–healthy omega–3.
- Seafood should be an important part of everyone’s diet. Women who are pregnant or are thinking of
becoming pregnant should follow the government guidelines regarding fish consumption. Please refer to the
FDA’s Web site to view these guidelines
- Recent research also points out other health benefits associated with seafood, including the benefits of
selenium — found in canned tuna and other fish — that appear to be important in cancer prevention and as
an antioxidant to help the immune system).
