On my first day with the National Fisheries Institute, a small group of us went to La Sandia at Tysons Corner Center. I had grilled snapper tacos with shredded cabbage, avocado and corn with a little chipotle aioli on soft corn tortillas. The snapper was very tender, falling off the fork I used to pick at the few scraps. The fish was a good source of protein, vitamin B12 and selenium, and the cabbage and avocado added nutrients (like dietary fiber, folate and vitamins C and K); outside the world of nutrition all those important things also add, the less scientific, but just as important crunch. In my opinion, you can never go wrong when avocado and fish are paired. Oh, and the tacos were pretty tasty.

What are your favorite ways to prepare snapper?

Wed love to hear from you. Wishing you a happy, safe and healthy Thanksgiving!

Post by Rima Kleiner, MS, RD

After reading David Lennetts post yesterday, I wanted to learn more about his background and work with the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). To do so, the NRDC website requires you to view experts by subject. Because Mr. Lennett urged the U.S. government to ensure this first-ever mercury treaty truly protects public health, I assumed he would be among the Health experts. But he wasnt.

Because Mr. Lennett wrote, We need a strong global treaty to stop mercury pollution and protect the safety of the fish (and other aquatic food sources) we eat, I looked through the NRDCs list of Oceans experts. Not here either.

Perhaps his lack of expertise accounts for the errors found throughout his blog post. Or perhaps he thought that conflating thermometers, batteries and light bulbs (containing elemental mercury) with trace amounts of naturally occurring methylmercury found in all ocean species of fish would give our State Department leverage in next weeks UNEP treaty negotiations.

Of course, there is no problem with championing a cleaner environment; that s a goal everyone can support. The issue is that activists who scare people away from seafood to gain traction for their unrelated agendas contradict scientific consensus and the latest nutrition advice. Ultimately, their faulty and reckless assertions are likely to put public health at risk because consumers are erroneously cautioned to stay away from one of the healthiest foods on eart. Reporting on their dangerous advice only compounds confusion and furthers the damage incurred.

Lets look at the facts:

Due to volcanic activity along the seabed, mercury has been naturally occurring in the ocean since the beginning of time. In fact, records show that the levels of mercury in commercial seafood are the same as they were nearly 100 years ago.

The top ten most popular fish that Americans enjoy such as canned tuna, shrimp, salmon, and crab, among others are all low in mercury.

Coal fired power plant emissions contain mercury contaminants that pollute lakes, streams, and rivers. The EPA, which has jurisdiction over inland waterways, closely monitors mercury levels and advises recreational anglers on what is safe to consume.

The Food and Drug Administration overseas ocean caught and commercially farmed seafood.

No peer-reviewed published medical journal in this country has ever reported a case of mercury toxicity from the normal consumption of commercial seafood.

In the spirit of truly protecting public health, activists and the media need reminding from time to time that according to a peer-reviewed study risk-centric messaging reduces fish consumption resulting in an overall reduction in the potential health benefits derived from EPA + DHA.

Again, here are the facts:

Low seafood consumption is the second-biggest dietary contributor to preventable deaths in the U.S., taking 84,000 lives each year (for perspective, low intake of fruits and vegetables takes 58,000 lives each year)

Currently Americans eat only 15 lbs. of seafood each year, compared to 110 pounds of red meat and 73 pounds of poultry

The North American diet contains the second-lowest percentage of fish in the world (7.0%) second only to the Sudan while the 2010 Dietary Guidelines recommend 20% of the protein we eat should be seafood.

On any given day, only one-quarter of Americans report consuming any fish-based omega-3s (DHA and EPA).

As coverage of the UN conference increases, journalists must be extra judicious in reporting the information they are gathering. Lets not embarrass ourselves on the world stage.

Megan Fox: Im giving up tuna, because I dont want my vampire babies to have small thumbs, like me.

I might be taking a few of her recent remarks out of context, but Megan Fox did tell Jay Leno that her mom ate tuna every day throughout her pregnancy, which accounts for why her thumbsare so short.

Speaking of her own pregnancy, Ms. Fox told Jay that her morning sickness was so bad that I felt like I was convinced that I was maybe like birthing a vampire baby or an alien or something.

All of this logic accounts for why Megan Fox gave up eating tuna during her pregnancy.

We just thought you should know.

I know what I need to be healthy, I just dont have time to prepare it.

If I had a dime for every time Ive heard that, Id be filthy rich. But, I get it. Some people have the time and inclination to prepare gourmet meals every day, or even most days. As for the rest of us, we just need easy ways to get more healthy foods into our diets most of the time. So, I thought itd be helpful to share some ideas for getting seafood into your diet easily and quickly.

Why seafood? A high-quality protein, seafood is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for heart health, eye health and brain development and function. The American Heart Association and the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that we eat at least seafood at least two times a week (or 8-12 ounces minimum).

Fish isnt just for dinner. At least two servings a week is easy to do… I promise. One easy way to up your omega-3 intake is to eat fish at lunchtime.

Use leftover fish for brown-bag tacos. Top a corn or whole wheat flour tortilla with leftover seafood and top with salsa, salad greens or shredded cabbage, chopped tomatoes and avocado.

Try a LLT for lunch lox, lettuce and tomato on whole wheat with a light cream cheese schmear or mashed avocado and a little kosher salt.

Top mixed greens, tomatoes, shredded carrots, avocado, hard-boiled egg whites and cucumbers with a tuna pouch. Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar on salad.

Have leftover pasta? Try adding canned tuna or salmon to pasta. Mix with light mayonnaise, raw or leftover veggies (broccoli, celery, red bell peppers and onions work well) and capers. Sprinkle with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.

Well tackle easy ways to get fish in other meals in a post to come.

Do you have any favorite easy seafood lunches? If so, wed love to hear from you! Leave a comment or email me at rkleiner@nfi.org and Ill share some of the healthiest lunches!

Posted by Rima Kleiner, MS, RD

This past Saturday I celebrated my birthday. All I really wanted was to spend the day outside with my family and indulge in a nice adult dinner (read: no toddler crawling on the restaurant floor for his crayon) and a decadent piece of cake. Well, I got both wishes After strolling the National Mall (gorgeous weather here in metro DC!), I indulged in a piece of cake followed by a deliciously nutritious dinner.

My husband took me to Sea Pearl (in Falls Church), where weve enjoyed many delicious seafood dinners. Saturday night was no exception.

I ordered the Pan Roasted Salmon on a bed of curried lentils and sauted spinach, topped with cilantro chutney. The salmon was cooked perfectly and paired well with the flavorful chutney. With the omega-3 fatty acids from the salmon and the fiber from the spinach and lentils, this was definitely a heart-healthy meal.

The Baked Alaskan Cod with lemon spaetzle and sauted spinach that my husband ordered was pretty darn good, too. A great source of protein and selenium, the cod was stuffed with crab and lightly breaded with panko and topped with yuzu butter.

Oh, and the white cake with buttercream frosting (lets be honest is there any other kind of frosting?) was delicious, too. Birthday cake and salmon… Deliciously balanced. A pretty good way to greet the last year of my 30s.

Posted by Rima Kleiner, MS, RD

So, it was lunchtime. I was running between meetings, starving and without lunch. I had a grapefruit, a banana and a bottle of water at my disposal, but needed something more substantial. Short on time, I ran down to the convenience store in the office building and grabbed a tuna sandwich. Yes, it contained more mayo and fewer veggies than what I would have made at home, butatop whole wheat bread and paired with fruitit did the trick.

Why is tuna a good choice? Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, canned tuna adds a protein punch to any meal. Tuna salad gets a bad rep as high-fat, but canned tuna is low in fatits the mayonnaise that adds the fat.

Make it Nutritious:On most days, I would have made my own tuna salad and added more volume by mixing canned tuna with diced celery, onions, pickles, capers, tomato, hard-boiled egg whites, dill weed, low-fat mayo or Greek yogurt, a little mustard and whole wheat pita, salad greens or whole grain pasta. And, yes, tomorrow Ill bring my lunch.

Posted by Rima Kleiner, MS, RD

On my first day with the National Fisheries Institute, a small group of us went to La Sandia at Tysons Corner Center. I had grilled snapper tacos with shredded cabbage, avocado and corn with a little chipotle aioli on soft corn tortillas. The snapper was very tender, falling off the fork I used to pick at the few scraps. The fish was a good source of protein, vitamin B12 and selenium, and the cabbage and avocado added nutrients (like dietary fiber, folate and vitamins C and K); outside the world of nutrition all those important things also add, the less scientific, but just as important crunch. In my opinion, you can never go wrong when avocado and fish are paired. Oh, and the tacos were pretty tasty.

What are your favorite ways to prepare snapper?

Wed love to hear from you. Wishing you a happy, safe and healthy Thanksgiving!

Post by Rima Kleiner, MS, RD

Were happy to announce that on October 29th Jennifer gave birth to a healthy, happy baby and she is currently on maternity leave. She will be back in late January where she will continue to bring you the latest in nutritional seafood science along with our newest team member, Rima Kleiner, MS, RD.

Rima is a Registered Dietitian with more than ten years of nutrition experience. She has worked in nutrition research, provided counsel for new product development and wellness programming, developed recipes and analyzed menus, served as a nutrition expert for media, and helped individuals eat more healthfully in a private practice setting.

Rima received her Master of Science in Human Nutrition from Arizona State University and her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of North Florida. She has a CDR Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is the former Public Relations and Media Chair for the Virginia Dietetic Association.

Rima will blog here on AboutSeafood.com and serve as a resource for the nutrition community and the media. You can follow her on twitter @RimaKleinerMSRD or reach out to her directly via email RKleiner@NFI.org.

It would appear were not the only ones who see Greenpeaces true colors: a politically motivated organization operating under the guise of charity and environmentalism. Well, not anymore at least not in New Zealand.

In a monumental decision earlier this month, New Zealands High Court Judge Justice Paul Heath denied Greenpeaces final attempt at regaining charity status. The environmental campaigning machine was deregistered as a charity last year for its overtly political role. As one article puts it, the decision came after overwhelming evidence was presented that proved that the organization’sillegal activities were motivated by zealous political advocacy andcrossed the line of what charities are permitted to do.

Not only does the former charity lose its tax benefits in New Zealand, but now, skeptics and lawyers around the world will be determining whether the same disgrace awaits the group elsewhere.

The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been making the media rounds and as I mentioned at the beginning of February by-in-large they are being reported on accurately. Have a look at this segment from Good Moring America and you will get an accurate review of what they guidelines say about important things like eating seafood during pregnancy.