Seafood has been a popular choice in almost every culture, and while there are only a few who must have seafood everyday (and thrive on it!) but there are some who cannot enjoy any type of fish or seafood in general due to the fact that they have an allergy to this type of food.
It's unfortunate due to the fact that one tends to miss out on all the fun foods, and the ones that are healthy as well, thanks to an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids that are present in seafood of different types. And if that's not enough, the longevity of health and the lowered risk of cardiovascular disease can also be yours when you eat seafood regularly.
But there are other ways to get this nutrient, but before we look at that, let's take a closer look at what are fish allergies and why they occur.
Fish Allergies
Very similar to other allergies, fish contains a lot of protein, and much like other allergies, if one does have an aversion to seafood, the allergy arises due to the fact that there is a sensitivity towards the protein content that is in the fish or seafood.
And if you do get this allergy, you can be sure that anytime throughout your life you touch seafood, you will find yourself having to deal with the reaction using medicine.
Another uncommon reason why people are allergic to seafood stems from the contamination of fish caused by fish parasites. The allergic reaction to this type of allergy is so erratic that while on one night, you might not experience any symptoms, on other, you will definitely know that something is wrong.
So, ultimately just like the 'big eight', you will have to stop eating fish and other types of seafood if you want to avoid the allergy as well, and since you're not going to be eating seafood, you won't be getting your daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids either.
But the truth is that there are other non-seafood options which can help you get enough of this nutrient on a daily basis.
Alternatives to Fish & Seafood (with Omega-3 fatty acids)
When it comes to heart health, omega-3 fatty acids ensure that one's triglyceride levels are reduced while increasing one's HDL cholesterol levels as well. Another interesting benefit of this nutrient is that it reduces the chances of one getting irregular heartbeats as well as blood clot formation as well.
And so here are some non-seafood foods that one can try in order to get this important nutrient, especially if they're aiming for a balanced diet:
1) Seeds such as flaxseed, hempseed, pumpkin and sesame seeds as well as oils from these seeds.
2) Oils derived from these seeds as well as canola, wheat germ , soybean, seal and shark liver oil.
3) Green leafy veggies such as spinach, purslane, mustard greens, collards, broccoli and kale.
4) Nuts like walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, Pecan nuts, Hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and butternuts.
5) Soy and Tofu
6) Eggs produced by chicken that are fed greens and insects, not corn and soybeans.
7) Meat like beef, chicken and lamb
8) Commercial products that are fortified with omega-3 fatty acids such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, mayonnaise, bread, orange juice, children's pasta, pizza, infant formula and confections.
In Closing
And even though you might miss seafood, you can be sure that if your perspective on a good diet is about getting these omega-3 fatty acids, then these can be obtained from other foods that are just as delicious.
Seafood has been a popular choice in almost every culture, and while there are only a few who must have seafood everyday (and thrive on it!) but there are some who cannot enjoy any type of fish or seafood in general due to the fact that they have an allergy to this type of food.
It's unfortunate due to the fact that one tends to miss out on all the fun foods, and the ones that are healthy as well, thanks to an abundance of omega-3 fatty acids that are present in seafood of different types. And if that's not enough, the longevity of health and the lowered risk of cardiovascular disease can also be yours when you eat seafood regularly.
But there are other ways to get this nutrient, but before we look at that, let's take a closer look at what are fish allergies and why they occur.
Fish Allergies
Very similar to other allergies, fish contains a lot of protein, and much like other allergies, if one does have an aversion to seafood, the allergy arises due to the fact that there is a sensitivity towards the protein content that is in the fish or seafood.
And if you do get this allergy, you can be sure that anytime throughout your life you touch seafood, you will find yourself having to deal with the reaction using medicine.
Another uncommon reason why people are allergic to seafood stems from the contamination of fish caused by fish parasites. The allergic reaction to this type of allergy is so erratic that while on one night, you might not experience any symptoms, on other, you will definitely know that something is wrong.
So, ultimately just like the 'big eight', you will have to stop eating fish and other types of seafood if you want to avoid the allergy as well, and since you're not going to be eating seafood, you won't be getting your daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids either.
But the truth is that there are other non-seafood options which can help you get enough of this nutrient on a daily basis.
Alternatives to Fish & Seafood (with Omega-3 fatty acids)
When it comes to heart health, omega-3 fatty acids ensure that one's triglyceride levels are reduced while increasing one's HDL cholesterol levels as well. Another interesting benefit of this nutrient is that it reduces the chances of one getting irregular heartbeats as well as blood clot formation as well.
And so here are some non-seafood foods that one can try in order to get this important nutrient, especially if they're aiming for a balanced diet:
1) Seeds such as flaxseed, hempseed, pumpkin and sesame seeds as well as oils from these seeds.
2) Oils derived from these seeds as well as canola, wheat germ , soybean, seal and shark liver oil.
3) Green leafy veggies such as spinach, purslane, mustard greens, collards, broccoli and kale.
4) Nuts like walnuts, almonds, pine nuts, Pecan nuts, Hazelnuts, Brazil nuts and butternuts.
5) Soy and Tofu
6) Eggs produced by chicken that are fed greens and insects, not corn and soybeans.
7) Meat like beef, chicken and lamb
8) Commercial products that are fortified with omega-3 fatty acids such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, mayonnaise, bread, orange juice, children's pasta, pizza, infant formula and confections.
In Closing
And even though you might miss seafood, you can be sure that if your perspective on a good diet is about getting these omega-3 fatty acids, then these can be obtained from other foods that are just as delicious.