By Eli Follick
It was a summer day and we walked to Indian Lake in Crotona Park in the Bronx, N.Y.- my 10-year old brother, David, my 4-year-old sister, Ida, and me, 7. My dad carried all the fishing gear, Mom handled the picnic basket, and I had the shovel that had come with the pail that I played with in the backyard. I didn’t have the pail but instead an empty can that at one time held corn.
My dad explained that I was to learn how to dig to find worms for fish bait. Teach me he did. We walked about 10 feet into the woods, and he showed me how to turn the dirt to find them. In about 20 minutes, he and I had a wriggling half can. Dad slipped a worm onto a non-barbed hook and handed it to my brother as he told him to drop the line into the Indian Lake water. We all watched until 15 minutes later, he reeled in a small fish. Dad took the fish off the hook and threw it back into the water. Everybody congratulated my brother, and I wanted to be the next fisherman in the family. A life-long hobby had begun.
Over the years, my love for fishing has transferred into a love of seafood. Given a choice of meats, I prefer fish, and it’s turned out to be a smart choice. The National Institutes of Health state that fish and seafood are a key part of a healthy diet. Here are some of its benefits:
Heart health – Fish is a good source of high-quality protein (including all of the essential amino acids), vitamins, and nutrients that can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. A three-ounce cooked serving of most fish provides approximately one-third of the average daily recommended amount of protein for an adult.
Iodine – Fish can help reach the recommended daily intake of this mineral, which is important for thyroid hormone synthesis.
Omega-3 fatty acids – Fish are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower triglyceride levels and may reduce the risk of some cardiovascular illnesses. Fish can also help to improve brain and eye health.
Other nutrients – Fish is also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, magnesium, and potassium.
The US Department of Agriculture in the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that all of us should eat seafood at least twice a week for its health benefits. The American Heart Association agrees with this recommendation, since eating fish can help maintain heart health.
Another advantage for choosing fish is that there are so many types from which to choose. My favorites are salmon and tilapia. Just like there are many types of fish, there are just as many ways to prepare them.
I prefer poaching because you can vary flavors by poaching with different liquids. Poaching also uses no fats and it preserves nutrients. I have used water, wine (Chablis or chardonnay), and fish stock. The ideal temperature is between 165 degrees and 180 degrees for about 15 to 20 minutes. This technique works for most kinds of fish, especially lean fish like tilapia.
Steaming is also a good technique. It doesn’t add calories, but it takes a bit longer than poaching. Grilling, baking, and sauteing also work, but you must be careful not to over-cook the fish. When I was little, frying was just about the only way we ever ate fish, but I do not use that technique because of the unnecessary fat it adds to what could be a low-calorie, high-nutrient dish.
Finally, if you limit fish to one or two servings a week, it is not expensive, it’s easy to store in the refrigerator or freezer, and at every bite you are managing your enhancing your health and managing weight.
