Simply Seafood®

Slimming with Seafood

Slim Fish Horz

Lowfat doesn't have to mean no-flavor. Top lingcod or other firm-fleshed fish with this refreshing gazpacho as shown at right.

Grill Tomatos Seafood is the perfect diet food. It adapts to so many different styles of preparation that you'll never get bored with it.

The short days of winter are lengthening into spring. The holidays are behind us. Another Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Chanukah have passed, New Year's too. Another summer is just around the corner. That means getting ready for the blue skies, bright days, shorts and bathing suits; a season of vacations and barbecues-which makes spring the time when thoughts turn to sun, fun and...dieting.

The dreaded "D" word brings fear to the hearts and palates of many of us who overindulged this winter. After all, doesn't dieting mean denial and dull food? Not necessarily.

How about a diet that doesn't burden you with costly specialty foods or a rigorous regimen of calorie counting? A diet that's filled with great taste, a variety of fresh and flavorful whole foods? One that lets you eat all you want? Sounds too good to be true? It's simply a matter of getting back to basics.

Recent studies suggest the best way to lose weight is to cut fat-the calories will take care of themselves. A Cornell University study found that subjects on a lowfat diet lost weight even though they ate as much foods as they wanted and were encouraged to eat snacks. Studies at Harvard and Stanford universities found that the proportion of calories that come from fat, not the calories alone, are what determine weight gain and loss. What does this mean to you? A balanced and varied diet of lowfat foods, combined with regular exercise, is the best way to reduce and control your weight-and seafood is one of the most versatile and nutritious lowfat foods.

Why Seafood?

Seafood is the perfect diet food. It adapts to so many different styles of preparation that you'll never get bored with it. It can be a quick and easy workday meal or an elegant centerpiece dish for entertaining (your guests will never know you're dieting). Nutritionally, it's easy to digest, high in protein and low in cholesterol. But most importantly, seafood is low in calories and fat.

Nearly all seafoods obtain less than 30 percent of their calories from fat. Most other protein sources-beef, pork and chicken-derive 30 to 70 percent of their calories from fat. This means that if you compare equal portions of ground beef to a "fat" fish such as Coho salmon, the salmon will have appreciably less fat (5.9 grams compared to 17.1 grams) and few calories (146 compared to 234). Combined with a varied diet that includes other lowfat foods, seafood forms the foundation for a healthful and nutritious way of eating.

Diet=Fish
The Fats of Life

Fats are the most concentrated energy sources available to our bodies. Ounce for ounce, they have more than twice the calories of carbohydrates and proteins. There is also evidence that the body converts the ample calories in fat to body fat more efficiently than it converts the calories in carbohydrates to body fat. In other words, fats are more fattening.

..."good" fats are omega-3 fatty acids-polyunsaturated fats that actually help to lower cholesterol levels. The highest concentrations of omega-3s are found in seafood.

All fats are combinations of saturated and unsaturated fats. Highly saturated fats are easy to recognize-they're usually solid at room temperature. These are the troublemakers. They've been shown to elevate blood cholesterol levels and contribute to cardiovascular disease. The greatest concentrations of saturated fats are found in animal products such as whole milk, ice cream, cheese, butter and red meats. Two plant products, coconut oil and palm oil, also contain large amounts of saturated fat.

Unsaturated fats come in two forms: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. They are common in plants and seafood and are generally liquid at room temperature. Among these "good" fats are omega-3 fatty acids-polyunsaturated fats that actually help to lower cholesterol levels. The highest concentrations of omega-3s are found in seafood.

While small amounts of fats are necessary for good health-they carry vitamins such as A, D and K, and are important for proper growth-too much fat, particularly saturated fat, should be avoided. This is best accomplished by being selective about the fats you eat.

Getting the Fat Out

Now that we've targeted saturated fats, what can we do to keep more of them off our plates and away from our waistlines?

Replace ingredients with lowfat alternatives:

Instead of a grilled steak, try a firm and hearty fish such as swordfish. The beef in tacos can be replaced with poached Pollock mixed with fresh salsa. If fried pork chops are a family favorite, try broiled mahi-mahi with just a touch of margarine. Replace battered and fried pork in sweet-and-sour sauce with big chunks of broiled or grilled halibut...You get the idea. Use the Simply Seafood Selection Guide to help you choose the right fish for the job. Generally, firm-textured fish, particularly the full-flavored ones, will work well as replacements for red meat. Medium-firm fish are a good choice when replacing chicken or pork.

Just adding fish in place of higher-fat foods, though, won't win the weight war. You have to pay attention to the rest of the foods in your daily diet, too. How often have you been faced with a healthy helping of vegetables only to lay a pat of button on it? Replace butter with margarine, sour cream with plain lowfat yogurt and whole milk with skim milk. Substitute calorie-reduced mayonnaise or fat-free imitation mayonnaise for regular mayonnaise. Use fresh lemon juice in place of salad dressing. Instead of Cheddar cheese, try Swiss or mozzarella made from skim milk.

Use lowfat cooking techniques:

Fats are frequently added while cooking. In addition to adding flavor, fats provide moisture that conducts heat and helps keep food from burning. Cook slim, instead.

Broiling and grilling are well-suited to almost everything that swims. To keep fish from drying out during cooking, brush with a small amount of lemon juice, a mixture of 1 part lemon juice to 1 part olive oil or a light coating of plain lowfat yogurt with herbs. Position seafood 4 to 5 inches from source of heat and cook 6 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Baking is an easy way to prepare fish. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Coat the baking pan lightly with oil or a non-stick spray product or add a small amount of seasoned water or wine. If desired, add a lowfat sauce or topping-it can help flavor the fish and keep it moist during baking. Bake 6 to 12 minutes per inch of thickness, until it is just opaque throughout.

Poaching is one of the leanest ways to cook fish. Poaching can be done simply in water seasoned with lemon, bay leaves and whole peppercorns. For more flavor, replace all or part of the water with vegetable stock or dry white wine. Using a large, deep, covered skillet, deep pan or fish poacher, add enough liquid to cover fish by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a gentle simmer and add fish in a single layer. Gently cook 6 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness until flesh is just opaque throughout. Poached fish is excellent hot or cold.

Steaming, like poaching, adds no extra fat. Any fish or shellfish can be steamed. No special equipment is needed (see steaming article for additional information). Season fish with herbs, or by cooking in combination with seasonal vegetables-either way you pick up lots of flavor without adding lots of calories!

Microwaving is an especially convenient way to cook seafood. Unlike broiling or grilling, no added fat is necessary to keep fish from sticking to the pan or drying out. Cook in a covered dish, or cover with microwave-safe plastic wrap. Place thicker pieces toward the outside, fold thinner fillet ends under to create more even thickness so they won't overcook.

Flavor without Fat

Just because something is lowfat doesn't mean it can't be high-flavor.

Why do we eat so much fat? Because it tastes great! We've come to associate good food with foods that are rich and full of fat, but flavor and fullness can come from healthier choices. Just because something is lowfat doesn't mean it can't be high-flavor.

Many everyday ingredients can be combined to enhance the flavor of fish without adding lots of fat. Make a spicy salsa from vegetables or try a fruit relish. Marinades run the gamut from sweet to sour, mild to wild, limited only by your imagination and ingredients on hand. Don't underestimate herbs and spices. Sprinkled on as is or added to relishes, salsas or marinades, they add character to any dish.

Relishes and salsas can be made out of a wide range of fruits and vegetables. They provide variety in taste and texture. Serve on the side, using fruit relishes a little more sparingly since they can be higher in calories than vegetable-based versions.

Marinades add flavor and keep fish from drying out, particularly when grilling or broiling. Adapt your favorites by reducing the oil. To ensure success, follow these simple rules:

Unlike beef, fish is marinated for flavor, not to break down tough connective tissue. As little as 10 to 30 minutes is ample.
Use non-reactive pans such as glass, enamel or plastic. Or, marinate fish in a heavy plastic bag with a resealable closure.
Marinades can be used as bastes to keep fish from drying out. Divide marinade in half, using half to marinate the fish and the other half for basting during cooking.

Herbs and spices, when used properly, enhance the flavors of seafood; used improperly, they can overpower seafood and dominate the taste buds. If you're unfamiliar with using herbs, start out by adding 1/2 teaspoon of dry or 1 teaspoon of fresh per pound of seafood. Don't be afraid to combine one or more herbs and/or spices.

Putting It All Together

A lowfat entrée is no answer by itself. All of the parts of a meal-beverages, hors d'oeuvres, side dishes, salads, desserts-must hold the line on extra fat.

The following recipes will give you an idea of how easy it is to prepare lowfat seafood. Each recipe combines lowfat ingredients with a lowfat cooking method-all with an emphasis on flavor.