Have you thought about where your salmon comes from🐟? A new Netflix documentary, Seaspiracy, has stirred the ocean waters, creating controversy about what exactly seafood sustainability is and why it’s essential. Seafood sustainability is how seafood is caught or farmed with minimal environmental and social impacts. It is intended to maintain healthy fish populations while minimizing the fishing industry’s impact on the marine environment. Seaspiracy, definitely made me yearn for the truth. Is the seafood industry truly sustainable? Do the benefits of consuming seafood outweigh the environmental dilemmas?

Seaspiracy examines the global fishing industry, challenges notions of sustainable fishing, and shows how human actions cause widespread environmental destruction. According to the filmmakers, the “ban single plastic to save marine animals” campaign is just a tiny part of the solution to protecting our oceans. The movie demonstrates how fishing nets are much more threatening to marine life. Yet the industry has disputed these accusations, claiming the movie creators are making misleading claims, using out-of-context interviews and man-made statistics.

Film 🎥 and storytelling techniques build a strong case against the seafood industry and its supposed lack of care for the marine environment. Ultimately, the waves of controversy will most likely benefit the seafood industry. Seafood has a lower carbon footprint than any other complete protein. It’s nutritious and delicious😋. The nutrition benefits of seafood are well-researched, and there is broad consensus that eating more can significantly reduce chronic disease risks. Seafood has many immune-boosting nutritional properties, including being a source of lean protein, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, selenium, iron, and zinc. A new study from the University of Pennsylvania states that frequent fish consumption is linked to fewer sleep problems and higher IQ scores in children. Dietary fish and omega-3 fatty acid intake is also associated with improved cognitive and academic performance in adolescents and reduced cognitive decline and dementia in older age.

Sustainability is defined as minimizing environmental impact and not taking more of the ocean than it can naturally replenish. Per the seafood industry, wild fish caught in the US is sustainable, ensuring that farms have minimal environmental impact. Regulations are tightly controlled in the US, including seafood imports. Yet, an upward trend of the United States producing more than 80% of its seafood abroad is not helpful for sustainability because other countries are not as careful in their environmental protections. It is a bit of a conundrum on many levels. For those who enjoy seafood and want to maintain the nutritional benefits without harming the environment, one option is to be more selective and buy locally sourced seafood. Also, look for the certification logo or mark on packages and at the seafood counter to know you are buying responsibly farmed or caught products.

Omega-3 fatty acids are key resources to our overall health. Studies have found that they may reduce inflammation, decrease blood triglycerides, and even reduce the risk of dementia. Fatty fish has been known to be the best source, but you can lean into non-fish options: chia seeds, Brussel sprouts, algal oil (oil from algae), hemp seeds, walnuts, flaxseeds. Perilla oil (from perilla seeds). Where do we land with this dilemma? The choice to eat seafood or not is yours, but prioritizing your intake of omega-3 fatty acids should be a priority, regardless of your source!

Here are some tasty recipes, all with healthy sources of omega-3s. From my first blog to today, and always ~ Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much food.

CRABBY PASTA
I crave crab as soon as I can feel summer in the air. I am not a big crab-eater, but I can’t wait to dig in the slight saltiness and sweetness that taste like summer. Crab is invariably delicate, tasty, and satisfying, regardless of how it is prepared. Of course, because it is an incredible source of omega-3 fatty acids, a lean protein, rich in vitamin B12, folate, iron, niacin, selenium, and zinc, it is a craving worth giving into when it arises. This dish combines the tenderness of crab with lots of veggies, whole-grain pasta, and a touch of cheese for a truly satisfying dish.

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces vegetable-based or whole wheat pasta
1 1/2 Tablespoons truffle oil
3–4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 Tablespoon from the jar)
16 ounces shiitake mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 ounces fresh lump crab meat
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbles
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly ground pepper to taste
​
PREPARATION
Prepare pasta according to package directions. Place in serving bowl and keep warm.
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon truffle oil and heat for 2–3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 4–5 minutes or until softened. Add mushrooms and balsamic vinegar and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add crab and heat through.
Pour veggie and crab mixture over the pasta. Add 1/2 tablespoon of truffle oil and gently stir. Top with 1/2 tablespoon feta cheese, parsley, and ground pepper to taste. Makes 4–5 servings.

ISRAELI COUSCOUS, SCALLOPS, AND WALNUTS 
(or just walnuts 🙂
Israeli couscous is not a type of couscous. It is a type of pasta made of semolina flour and water, developed in the 1950s by Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion to feed the influx of immigrants to Israel. It is more like a cousin of couscous, with some differences: couscous is traditionally dried before it’s cooked, Israeli couscous (or p’titim, a Hebrew word for “little crumbles”) is toasted, couscous is prepared by steaming, and Israeli couscous is boiled like pasta. Whatever you want to call it, there is no denying that it is a delicious grain to keep in your grainy rotation.

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups dried Israeli couscous
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound sea scallops
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons walnuts, chopped (if not using scallops, add 1/2 cup walnuts)
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

PREPARATION
Prepare Israeli couscous according to package directions.
While couscous/or p’titim is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, reduce heat to medium-low and add the garlic. Sauté the garlic for about 2 minutes. Add scallops and sauté for about 4 minutes, flip over, and continue cooking for another 4 minutes.
Add prepared Israeli couscous, parsley, lemon juice, walnuts, pepper, and red pepper flakes to the skillet. Continue to cook and stir for about 2 minutes, until heated through. Adjust seasonings to taste. Makes approximately 5 servings. Serve with roasted veggies or a side salad.

ROASTED BEET BURGERS
I saw a picture of roasted beet toast that looked so delicious that I had to create my own. I decided to make the beet a burger, but you could also shred the beet for something fun and messier to eat.

INGREDIENTS
1 large beet, peeled and sliced into 4–5 1/2-inch thick pieces
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon walnut oil (optional, only if you like)
2–3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/4 cup feta or blue cheese, crumbles
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Optional garnish: 1/4 cup fresh thyme or basil, chopped

​PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Place the cut beets on a baking sheet and toss them with the olive oil, walnut oil, and garlic. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning once or twice with a spatula, until the beets are tender. Remove from the oven and toss with walnuts, blue cheese, and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh thyme or basil and serve warm. Suggestion: Place on top of toasted whole-grain bread.

Proposition: Let’s get uncomfortable together🥴. Being uncomfortable is scary. It can be anxiety provoking. However, we do not make changes unless we truly feel uneasy. Have an awkward conversation with yourself. What is holding you back from making a change you want to make? Or why/what is the change you want to make? You need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. The more familiar you get with this feeling, the more you feel empowered to make a change🙌🏽.

​You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of a difference you want to make.

~Jane Goodall

​RESOURCES:

https://www.seafoodnutrition.org/seafood-101/sustainability/seafood-sustainability-what-you-need-to-know/
Innis, S. M. Dietary (n-3) fatty acids and brain development. J Nutr137, 855–859 (2007).Marik, P. E. & Varon, J. Omega-3 dietary supplements and the risk of cardiovascular events: a systematic review. Clinical cardiology32, 365–372, https://doi.org/10.1002/clc.20604 (2009).Young, G. & Conquer, J. Omega-3 fatty acids and neuropsychiatric disorders. Reproduction, nutrition, development45, 1–28 (2005).Qin, B. et al. Fish intake is associated with slower cognitive decline in Chinese older adults. J Nutr144, 1579–1585, https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.114.193854 (2014).Schaefer, E. J. et al. Plasma phosphatidylcholine docosahexaenoic acid content and risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease: the Framingham Heart Study. Arch Neurol63, 1545–1550, https://doi.org/10.1001/archneur.63.11.1545 (2006).van Gelder, B. M., Tijhuis, M., Kalmijn, S. & Kromhout, D. Fish consumption, n− 3 fatty acids, and subsequent 5-y cognitive decline in elderly men: the Zutphen Elderly Study. The American journal of clinical nutrition85, 1142–1147 (2007).

https://food52.com/blog/16240-the-biggest-misunderstanding-in-the-history-of-couscous