Curbing unhealthy behavior, such as smoking cigarettes, consuming junk food, and only getting a few hours of sleep each night, can improve your overall well-being. When it comes to what lifestyle changes to adopt, eating more foods high in vitamins, minerals, and nutrients is a smart place to start. Below is a brief guide to why your grocery list should include smoked halibut, wild Alaskan smoked salmon, and other fish market fare.  

Why Fish Is Good for You

Hypertension is an illness attributed to a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. A joint study by the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Washington, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found a correlation between a diet rich in fish and longer mortality. During the study, the blood of 2,692 U.S. adults between the ages of 69 and 79 years old without pre-existing health conditions was tested over a 16-year span. Those participants who consumed more fish had higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in their bloodstreams and saw a decrease in mortality risk associated with coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, and nonfatal heart attacks.

Beyond Omega-3 fatty acids that aid heart health, the fat in fish contains phospholipids (PLs). Phosphatidylcholine is a class of PLs that produces a chemical called acetylcholine to boost brain function. Eating more fish could combat memory-related illnesses and mood disorders. 

How You Should Prepare It

An adult diet requires an intake of 60 grams of protein daily, 50% of which can be gained by eating 150 grams of fish. When buying lean protein, go local. The United States’ fish processing facilities are subject to more stringent management laws than some other areas of the world that import the option to the country. Look for wild-caught instead of farm-raised varieties; doing so reduces the likelihood of exposure to harmful chemicals and antibiotics.

When cooking, avoid deep-frying, as it adds more sodium and saturated fat to the otherwise-healthy protein. Grill the fish for a rich taste. Poaching keeps it moist and retains the flavor, while baking offers a similar texture to frying but with less oil. If you prefer an earthy taste, smoked halibut and seafood are cured to preserve it. 

If you want to add more fish to your diet, you’ll be impressed with the selection at Alaska Sausage & Seafood. Serving the Anchorage area for over 50 years, they ship products across the country and offer an array of locally sourced options, from smoked halibut and wild Alaskan salmon to smoked sausage and reindeer meat. Call (907) 562-3636 to place an order. For recipe ideas and to shop the inventory, visit the store online. Follow them on Facebook to browse pictures of the smoked halibut and additional products.