Protein is an essential nutrient required for the development and health of your muscles, bones, skin, cartilage and blood. Both animal-based and plant-based foods provide protein. Fish is an excellent source of naturally lean protein. To keep it healthy, bake, broil, grill, steam or poach your fish instead of frying it.
Protein Content
Fish is included in the list of high-protein foods established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. One ounce of cooked wild salmon, for example, contains about 7 grams of protein; 1 ounce of cooked bluefin tuna contains about 8 grams of protein; 1 ounce of cooked herring contains about 6 grams of protein; 1 ounce of cooked whitefish contains about 7 grams of protein.
Recommended Intake
About 10 to 35 percent of your total daily caloric intake should come from protein. This amounts to between 50 grams and 175 grams of protein based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet. Eating fish can help you meet your protein needs. Women ages 19 to 30 should consume 5 1/2 ounces of foods from the protein group; women over 30 should consume 5 ounces. Men ages 19 to 30 should have 6 1/2 ounces of foods from the protein group per day; men ages 31 to 50 should have 6 ounces; men over the age of 50 should have 5 1/2 ounces.
Saturated Fat Is Low
The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends you eat at least 8 ounces of cooked fish or seafood per week. Fish is an excellent source of protein because it is naturally low in unhealthy saturated fat. Halibut and tuna, for example, contain no saturated fat in a 3 1/2-ounce serving, compared with 7 grams in lean ground beef. If you eat beef, you can reduce saturated fat by choosing extra lean cuts and removing all visible fat. If you eat chicken, removing the skin cuts down on saturated fat.
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Content
In addition to being exceptionally low in unhealthy saturated fat, some kinds of fish are rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats. For example, salmon, trout, herring and mackerel are high in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of unsaturated fat that may help lower your risk of developing heart disease. If you substitute fish for some of the animal protein in your diet, you may also reduce your blood pressure and symptoms of arthritis.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: ChooseMyPlate.gov – Food Groups: Protein Foods – Why is it Important to Make Lean or Low-fat Choices from the Protein Foods Group?
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: ChooseMyPlate.gov – Food Groups: Protein Foods – What Foods are in the Protein Foods Group?
- U.S Department of Agriculture Nutrient Database
- Mayo Clinic; Heart Disease – Omega-3 in Fish: How Eating Fish Helps Your Heart; December 2010
- Mayo Clinic; Nutrition and Healthy Eating – Healthy Diet: End the Guesswork with These Nutrition Guidelines, February 2011
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: ChooseMyPlate.gov – Food Groups: How Much Food from the Protein Foods Group is Needed Daily?
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: ChooseMyPlate.gov – Food Groups: Protein Foods – Tips to Help You Make Wise Choices from the Protein Foods Group
- University of California San Francisco; Cholesterol Content of Foods; August 2011
Member Comments