Seafood has always been at the very top of my list of my favourite ingredients to work with as a chef. As an Australian surfer who grew up with a deep respect for the pounding waves and kilometres of unspoilt coastline that typifies this country, I love fish, oysters, mussels, prawns — even fish heads — because of their versatility, freshness and textural diversity in so many different dishes.

Nowadays, I’m consuming at least two or three seafood meals a week, but not just for taste and recipe experimentation alone. Eating wild-caught, sustainable seafood regularly is one of the ways I ensure I get lots of omega-3, selenium, calcium, potassium, iron and important vitamins, such as B₁₂ and D. All are key nutrients to ensure my body and mind experience optimal health, wellbeing and balance.

Sustainable seafood is one of the best food choices you can make on a weekly basis for your health and the health of our planet.

That’s because no matter what seafood gets you salivating — be it mussels, oysters or the firm white flesh of a just-caught wild snapper — the reality is that sustainable seafood is one of the best food choices you can make on a weekly basis for your health and the health of our planet.

Simply put, the huge variety of seafood that’s available to us in Australia and New Zealand means we are blessed with an abundance of one of nature’s nutritional superstars. I’ve always eaten lots of fish and crustaceans and know the enormous benefits my body (and brain, for that matter) get from eating seafood regularly.

Health from the sea

Scientists have proven that eating lots of seafood really does make you smarter. For years, research has shown how regular consumption (two to three times a week) of omega-3 fatty-acids, which are present in abundance in fish, help support the brain’s development through every age and stage of life.

Omega-3 fatty acids are also proven to help protect against cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes. More and more research is being done into omega-3’s role in the prevention of other chronic modern-day diseases because of the fatty acids’ ability to effectively bring inflammation under control. Lots of omega-3 will also ensure you have better memory as well as providing some protection from Alzheimer’s and other memory-related diseases.

A paleo lifestyle focuses on eating a lot of wild-caught seafood to consume more omega-3 naturally.

Your body can easily absorb short-chain omega-3 fatty acids, known as ALA (alpha-linoleic acid), from eating flaxseeds, walnuts, chia seeds and spinach. However, unless you have an adequate supply and balance of nutrients (vitamins B₃, B₆, C and the minerals zinc and magnesium) in your system, you will struggle to convert enough ALA into two much more important long-chain omega-3 fatty acids known as EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

Since DHA is one of the primary structural components of the brain and retina, it’s easy to see why eating two to three servings of sustainable, wild-caught fish a week can be a game-changer and one of the best adjustments you can make to your diet.

A paleo lifestyle focuses on eating a lot of wild-caught seafood to consume more omega-3 naturally. In the Western world today, many diets are loaded with high levels of omega-6 fatty acids from large amounts of polyunsaturated vegetable oils and processed foods. Meanwhile, the same diets are very low in natural sources of omega-3.

Go wild

So seafood is vital for achieving optimum nutrition, but why is it important to make such a point of choosing wild-caught fish over the farmed stuff? It’s all because a paleo lifestyle is about eating the most natural diet possible and that’s why I always eat fish that have been swimming in the sea. Eating coldwater fish such as salmon is an ideal and natural way to get lots of good fats, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants into your diet.

Eating fresh raw fish, like yellowfin tuna, in a Japanese sashimi style is also a great way to get the most vitamins and minerals you can. Another dish I love is ceviche: a raw fish salad marinated in coconut milk. It’s high in good saturated fats and gives you that raw food kick. Raw foodists believe enzymes are the life force of food and these enzymes aid in digestion and the absorption of minerals. I love to eat raw fish because it gives me a great energy kick.

Eating coldwater fish such as salmon is an ideal and natural way to get lots of good fats, minerals, vitamins and antioxidants into your diet.

Even if you don’t love fish, maybe you can find a good seafood dish you love and include it as one of your regular meals, because your body and brain will thank you immensely. Try mussels — an excellent source of iodine, iron, selenium, manganese (which promotes healthy sleep) and vitamin B₁₂. Oysters are amazing in terms of how much nutritional punch they pack, all in just one bite. Encased in their shells, the oyster membrane is one of the most nutrient-rich foods we can eat, as well as being one of the most sustainable proteins on the planet. In fact, they actually help to clean up our polluted waterways, which is why I never feel guilty about scoffing them in abundance!

Now I feel like an oyster omelette … anyone for breakfast?

Wild Salmon With Beetroot Salad & Quick Braised Fennel (both recipe below)

Serves: 4

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Prawn & Green Papaya Salad

Serves: 4
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Pete’s Prawn Laksa

Serves: 4
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Mussels With Tomato, Leek & Spicy Saffron Sausage

Serves: 4
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