As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I'm often asked about the best foods for heart health. When it comes to the cardiovascular system, few foods pack as much into a single serving as wild-caught seafood.
The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week, about 3 ounces cooked per serving, preferably fatty fish. The reason is the long-chain omega-3s EPA and DHA, which are well established to lower triglycerides, and which large population studies consistently associate with lower cardiovascular mortality. Those population findings are associations rather than proof of cause — but they are consistent, and they hold up across decades of research.
A few of my favourites are…
Wild Alaskan Salmon: the cardiovascular champion
Wild Alaskan salmon of every kind is about as good as this gets. A single 3-ounce serving of wild salmon delivers well over a gram of EPA and DHA — comfortably more than the amount most guidelines suggest averaging per day. The deep red colour comes from astaxanthin, a carotenoid antioxidant the fish accumulates through its diet; you'll notice that striking colour in our Wild Alaskan Sockeye.
Wild Alaskan Sablefish: the hidden gem
Often called black cod, sablefish is a luxurious fish that rivals salmon for omega-3 content. It offers:
- One of the highest concentrations of omega-3s of any white-fleshed fish
- Vitamin B12, which supports normal red blood cell formation and nerve function
- Selenium, a mineral the body uses in its antioxidant enzyme systems
- A tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes cooking at home feel like a night out
Wild Albacore Tuna: convenience meets heart happiness
Our albacore is a different proposition from conventional canned tuna. It's troll and pole-and-line caught off the coast of Oregon and Washington and canned in its own oils — no water or oil added. It is:
- A high-quality complete protein
- A meaningful source of omega-3s, unusually so for canned fish
- Genuinely convenient for a fast, heart-healthy meal
- Good enough that we have something of a cult following for it
What's actually in a serving of seafood
Beyond the omega-3s, seafood carries a set of nutrients that are harder to assemble from other foods:
- Omega-3 fatty acids. The fats in seafood are polyunsaturated, and EPA and DHA are the two that matter most. They support heart and brain health and are the raw material the body uses to resolve inflammation.
- Complete protein. Seafood protein contains all the amino acids the body cannot make for itself, and it is highly bioavailable — efficiently absorbed and used.
- Selenium. A mineral central to thyroid function and to the body's selenium-dependent antioxidant enzymes. Ocean fish and shellfish are among the richest dietary sources.
- Phosphorus. Supports bone health, cell formation and energy metabolism. Three ounces of our scallops, salmon or crab provides over a third of a day's needs.
- Zinc. The body doesn't store zinc, so it has to come from food regularly. It supports immune function and tissue repair — and 3 ounces of Alaskan crab provides over half a day's needs.
Choosing and cooking it
When you're choosing seafood with heart health in mind:
- Favour the oily species — salmon, sablefish, albacore — where the omega-3s are concentrated
- Look for fish from clean, cold waters, and know where it came from
- Choose seafood from well-managed fisheries
- Opt for flash-frozen, which preserves quality from the moment of harvest
And in the kitchen:
- Skip deep frying, which adds fats that work against the point
- Bake, broil, grill or steam
- Use olive oil for lighter heat, or avocado oil for higher heat
- Season with herbs, citrus and spice rather than a heavy hand with salt
On mercury: the FDA and EPA publish species-by-species guidance, and for most adults the recommendation is two to three servings a week from their "Best Choices" list — which includes salmon, cod, scallops, crab and shrimp. Their advice is worth reading directly if you're pregnant or feeding young children.
Browse all of our recipes here.
Seafood belongs in a heart-healthy diet alongside plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and other good proteins — not instead of them. But of all the changes people try to make for their hearts, eating more fish is one of the few that is a pleasure rather than a sacrifice.
Ashley Besecker is the co-founder of Premier Catch and Director of Health and Nutrition. She is a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified dietitian, and nutritional genetics specialist. Ashley's writing covers the nutritional benefits of eating sustainable, wild seafood and more detail on Premier Catch's sourcing commitments.