What do you think of when you hear “you must eat healthy”!?! Do you see yourself surrounded by vegetables and fruits!?! If so, you should know that having a healthy life in terms of eating habits does not involve a focus only on vegetables and fruits. There are a lot of other interesting food categories and mixes that have a positive impact on your health and, therefore, should definitely be tried on a regular basis.

One of these categories is SEAFOOD. Although some of you might consider this as only an “exotic” food, proper only for special occasions, you should know that seafood could be a very good ingredient if introduced in your daily diet.

Seafood, besides the fact that is delicious, is a very good source of minerals, vitamins and proteins. Many seafood categories are low in cholesterol and sodium, low in fat (most of this fat is unsaturated – like omega -3 fatty acids – which is a good type of fat), rich in vitamins like A, B6 and B12 and minerals like phosphorus, iron, zinc and potassium.

Just to get you attention, I will next point out the 10 MAIN EXTRAORDINARY BENEFITS that seafood can have on our health:

1. Lower Blood Pressure
2. Reduce the Risk of Heart Diseases and Improve Heart Functions
3. Support Optimal Brain, Eyes and Nerves Development for Children
4. Provide Protection Against Bronchitis
5. Provide Protection Against Emphysema (associated with smoking)
6. Help People in Depression
7. Boost Immune System
8. Prevent Cancer
9. Prevent Osteoporosis and Arthritis
10. Lose Weight

As we can see, the influence seafood can have on our health is extraordinary. However, as for vegetables and fruits, some categories of seafood are better than others. This is why I made a selection of 5 of the most nutritious seafood out there:

1. Salmon

Salmon is a great source of the popular omega-3 fatty acids. This helps reduce risk of heart disease and prevents cancer. These types of acids also have anti-inflammatory functions, help the immune system and the brain. Half a fillet of cooked salmon (175 grams) has about 350 calories and 10 grams of fat. Other cold-water fish like mackerel and tuna are also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.

However, when buying your salmon, keep in mind to choose the eco-friendly and sustainable option. Avoid the Atlantic farmed one and go for the wild-caught Alaskan salmon.

2. Shellfish (mussels and oysters)

Shellfish are rich in Vitamin B12 which helps the nervous system. They also provide the body with iron and important minerals like potassium and magnesium. Three ounces (about 90 grams) of mussels give you 700 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. The same amount of oysters gives you 44% of the daily recommended value of iron. Three ounces of shellfish also contain about 130 calories and 3 grams of fat.

3. Pink Shrimps

Shrimp are rich in tryptophan and selenium. They are also a great source of protein, having a much better ratio of proteins gained with fats and calories than most foods. Four ounces of shrimp have 23 grams of protein, 112 calories and less than a gram of fat. Shrimps also provide the body with vitamins D and B12. All of these benefit the cardiovascular system and, believe or not, help reduce anxiety and depression.

4. Crabs

Besides the omega-3 fatty acids, protein, selenium and natural sodium, crabs are a great source of vitamin B12 and Zinc, which helps the immune system. Crabs are also low in calories and fat.

5. Sardines

The plain sardines just had to be in our top 5 list. They are the perfect example that your food doesn’t have to be expensive in order to be nutritious.

Sardines have more omega-3 acids per serving than any other food! 3 ounces (approximately 90 grams) of sardines are packed with almost 2 grams of these miracle-acids. These make them great for brain memory and performance. Also, sardines have a high level of vitamin D, which is essential in making your bones stronger.

Because neurons cannot store glucose, they depend on the bloodstream to deliver constant supply of glucose.

The level of glucose in our blood is very important as too much of it at a time can actually make our brain lose glucose. As the level of glucose in the blood stream increases, the brain depletes its energy supply, influencing our abilities to remember, learn and concentrate.

Is good to remember that mental activity requires a lot of energy as our brain cells need two times more energy than any other cells in our bodies.

Neurons are always in a state of metabolic activity thus have a high need of energy. Do not forget that neurons are always active, even during sleep.

Neurons main activities are related to repairing and rebuilding worn out structural components, manufacturing enzymes and neurotransmitters that have to be transported using nerve “channels” (some of them can be several inches or even several feet long).

Still, the upper mentioned activities are not the ones using most of neurons’ energy. The most demanding ones are the bioelectric signals, used for communicating throughout the nervous system. These transmissions are so demanding that use half all brain’s energy (almost 10% of all body’s energy).

In an important study, Dr. Carol Greenwood from the University of Toronto tested the effects of glucose on older adults. Two groups of old adults were tested. The first group received a bowl of cereal and milk, along with white grapes juice for breakfast, while the other group received only water.

When tested 20 minutes later, the first group had a better memory as they were able to remember 25% more facts as compared to the second group.

Additionally, Rondall J. Kaplan stated that “eating carbohydrate food can improve memory within an hour after ingestion in healthy elderly people with relatively poor memories. Individuals with seemingly minor deficits in glucose regulation appear to perform worse on cognitive (memory) tests and are most sensitive to the beneficial effects of carbohydrates”.

Additionally, Paul Gold, PhD, and Donna Karol, PhD, of Binghamton University, and Carol Manning, PhD, of the University of Virginia, stated in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that glucose particularly improves people’s adeptness at tasks involving memory and attention.