Seafood: The Dieter's Friend

As well as being high in essential nutrients, seafood is a fantastic aid for dieters looking to lose weight on a healthy and balanced diet.
Seafood is very low in calories in comparison to many other types of food, which makes it ideal for dieters on reduced calorie diets. Of course, if you're intending to benefit from the low number of calories in fish and shellfish, it's important to use healthy cooking methods such as steaming, grilling or baking.
Most of the calories in seafood come from protein, and protein is vital in keeping us feeling 'full'. In the 1990s, researchers at the University of Sydney found that 240-calorie portions of seafood kept participants feeling more satiated than portions of other foods with the same calorific contents.
What's more, omega-3 is essential for the thyroid gland, which helps to control metabolism, which in turn plays a large part in controlling weight. Several studies have found links between low levels of omega-3 and obesity, which provides even more reason to keep your seafood intake high when dieting.
Even if you are not on a diet, swapping your meat for seafood can reduce your calorific intake and provide you with additional nutrients such as Omega-3, selenium and Vitamin D. For example, try swapping the chicken in your stir-fry for a healthier alternative.