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In part one of this series, I said that I thought seafood was a functional food - a food that has the ability to prevent disease or in some cases reduce existing conditions to the point they become manageable. I believe this to be true because of my own experience and from the literature that I have read suggesting this to be true.

Seafood has many of the nutrients, minerals, fatty-acids, and amino acids that our bodies need to develop through childhood and remain healthy throughout life. There are various groups or individuals that will dispute this claim, but there are many others that laud the virtues of seafood. Seafood is a natural functional food; it does not need to be fortified with other functional food ingredients to make it healthier for you. Actually, if you bread and deep-fry seafood, you will loose some of the health benefits. So it is best to grill, bake, steam, broil, boil, microwave, or lightly saut your seafood.

Without getting too technical, I will try to explain why seafood is such a great functional food. First, our bodies need amino acids (proteins that our bodies need to make muscle) for development and maintenance of musculature throughout our lifetime. There are nine amino acids that our bodies need on a daily basis to remain healthy. All seafood contains all nine of these amino acids. Not four, or six, or seven - all nine!

The next reason I believe seafood to be a functional food, is it contains (and everybody has now heard this) omega-3 fatty acids that our bodies need to remain healthy. But seafood does not just contain omega3's, it contains an abundance of this polyunsaturated fatty acid; and, in some fish species (sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria) the omega-3 is virtually oozing from its flesh. Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to help in reducing the bad LDL blood cholesterol levels and increasing the good HDL cholesterol levels and thus reducing the chance for you to have cardiovascular disease. This translates to: Reduced chance of strokes and heart attacks.

It is not just the heart that omega-3's seem to help. On the Sea Grant, University of Delaware web site I found this statement: "Other health problems that may be controlled or alleviated by the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids from fish are asthma, arthritis, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, migraine headaches, cancer, and some kidney diseases." Wow! What a claim from one of our nations leading institutions. Who knew that we had prescription drugs inhabiting our oceans, estuaries, and bays?

Another notable functional food ingredient, found in seafood and that our bodies need for maintaining our immunity against disease, is selenium. Selenium is an essential trace element that every cell in our body needs to function properly. Several research studies have linked selenium deficiencies with a higher risk of getting cancer. Fortunately, much seafood contains at least some of this vital element, while crab and lobster species contain higher amounts. It's not surprising to me that two of the most delectable crustaceans of the sea are such a rich source of something that our bodies need to fight diseases. It is just another benefit of us being true omnivores, and something that true vegans miss out on entirely.

Vitamin D, fat soluble prohormones, is another important component of a functional food. Our bodies need vitamin D for all kinds of functions, and it is important to get an adequate supply. Many of the oilier finfish are a good source for one of the most important of our vitamins for our continued health. Fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, and sardines are high in vitamin D, as is freshwater catfish. There is a wealth of information concerning vitamin D, and I encourage you to do some research on your own. A Google search will supply you with enough reading material to cure many sleepless nights.

I found a great site that gives the nutritional data for thousands of different foods. It will help you sort out the good from the evil in food nutrition. But keep in mind that there is "new sophisticated measuring techniques (that) have indicated that cholesterol levels of many molluscan shellfish are much lower than was previously thought. In fact, molluscs, such as clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels were found to have a large percentage of noncholesterol sterols present that appear to have a positive effect. These sterols inhibit the absorption of cholesterol eaten at the same meal. Cholesterol levels in such crustaceans as crab and lobster are similar to that found in the dark meat of chicken."

Information about functional foods is starting to become more available as more new studies are being done. My advice to you folks about this "new" health diet phenomenon is to be open-minded, but cautious, in choosing functional foods. There are going to be many claims by many leading manufactures telling you that you should buy this or eat that - please refrain for falling for any gimmicks.

The best functional foods are those that are already in their natural state: Meats, fish, shellfish, fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, berries, mushrooms, and dairy.

I enjoy researching and writing about seafood. I hope that you find these articles educational and entertaining. Join me in celebrating seafood.