Low Carb Seafood Stew

If you are trying to lose weight on a low-carbohydrate diet, you have a better chance of sticking to the diet and seeing results if you include satisfying, enjoyable foods. Even if you are not on a low-carbohydrate diet, low-carbohydrate seafood stew can be a nutritious meal.Make seafood stew according to your personal tastes, and a nutritionist can help you work it into a healthy meal plan.

Fish and most kind shellfish are carbohydrate-free, and seafood stew can include choices such as salmon, flounder, cod, shrimp or scallops. Some shellfish, such as oysters, provide about 4 to 5 g carbohydrates per serving, and you can include them in your stew as long as you remember to count their carbohydrates toward your daily total. Use a base of broth, such as chicken, beef, fish or tomato, and add nonstarchy vegetables, such as spinach or mushrooms. These are lower in carbohydrates than starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, which are common in regular stews.

Weight Control

Low-carbohydrate seafood stew can satisfy your appetite on fewer calories because it is high in protein. You need to reduce your calorie intake in order to lose weight, and the high protein content of a low-carbohydrate diet can help because it suppresses your hunger, according to MayoClinic.com. Most seafood is relatively low in calories, with about 70 calories in a 3-oz. portion of cod, and 103 calories in rockfish and 126 calories in 3 oz. of clams. Nonstarchy vegetables and broth are also low calorie.

Nutrients

Along with high-quality protein, the seafood in your low-carbohydrate stew provides long-chain omega-three fatty acids called EPA and DHA. Eat at least 2 servings per week of seafood to get enough of these fats to reduce your risk for cardiac death, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for strong bones because it helps your body absorb calcium, and fatty fish, such as salmon, herring and tuna, are natural sources. The seafood and vegetables in your stew provide potassium.

Other Information

Meats are carbohydrate-free and they can add flavor to your low-carbohydrate seafood stew, but fatty meats, such as bacon or beef with visible fat, are high in saturated fat. Saturated fat raises levels of bad LDL cholesterol in your blood and may increase your risk for heart disease. Use low-sodium broth, and do not add salt during cooking, because a high-sodium diet can cause high blood pressure according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Cook your seafood well to reduce your risk of foodborne illness from eating raw seafood.