In the Unlikely Event . . .

It is a strong possibility that we will see a rise in seafood prices in the near future as a result of the Gulf oil spill. So I began to think of how the Gulf seafood  in our diet would be affected. Fish and other seafood sources are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein.  If it becomes necessary to decrease our consumption of  these foods due to their cost or limited supply what would be our best substitutions?

Although other food sources don’t measure up to the quality of seafood sources of omega-3 fatty acids, there are other sources of  low fat protein that contain one or  more types of omega-3′s.

• green vegetables (especially leaves) and seaweed
• omega-3 enriched eggs (it is concentrated in the yolks, so if you’re only eating the whites don’t spend your money here)
• beans
• walnuts (keep portions to ¼ cup)
• free-range chicken, beef, bison, and pork. What you’re looking for is grass-fed instead of grain-fed. The meat from grazing, grass-fed animals has a much higher omega-3 content and lower fat content than their confined, grain-eating counterpart.

Hopefully the damage of this environmental tragedy will be minimal and allow the Gulf fishing industry to resume and wildlife to remain healthy. However, if we are not proactive in protecting our natural resources we will need to consider our alternatives.