The health benefits of eating white fish

I recently teamed up with The Saucy Fish Company to promote the benefits of eating fish as part of a healthy balanced diet, and to encourage people to eat more fish, more often. In celebration of this new partnership, I have decided to write a blog post discussing the nutritional elements of white fish, and how best to incorporate it into your diet.

It is not just oily fish that has its health benefits, but white fish too. White fish is high in protein but low in calories, so makes a satisfying meal that will keep you feeling fuller for longer.. Below are a few of the different types of white fish available, with health benefits listed for each. I have added my own suggestions to accompany the fish for the perfect pairing for you to try, with advice on how best to cook each fish to help avoid nutritional loss.

Sea bass
Sea bass is a valuable source of both iron and calcium, with just one portion providing you with a quarter of the daily recommended amount we need in our diet. The iron in sea bass is different to iron found in vegetables, and is needed to keep blood healthy to prevent anaemia. Sea bass is also a good source of vitamin B12, and contains more calcium compared with other types of fish.
Pair sea bass with sweet potato mash and broccoli to create a great nutritious meal, and grill the fish to retain more of the vitamin B12 and calcium contents.

Haddock
Haddock is an excellent source of both iodine and selenium, which research shows are two of the minerals that are often lacking in people’s diets. Iodine is needed to support the thyroid gland and to maintain balanced hormones, whereas selenium is needed as a powerful antioxidant system in the body that helps to protect cells from damage. Try your haddock pan fried to minimise the loss of iodine, with sautéed kale and garlic.

Sea Bream
Although it is not considered to be an oily fish, sea bream has a higher fat content than other white fish and can be considered a valuable source of omega 3 fats. These fats have many health benefits: helping to lower blood pressure, promoting heart health, reducing inflammation, and helping to reduce mental health problems. As it contains more fat, it also contains more of vitamins E and D. Pair sea bream with steamed mange tout or green beans, and poach the fish so to not destroy the vitamin E by high heat frying.