Salmon
It’s a nutritional darling that you’ll see on many U.S. menus. It’s high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. And as a canned fish, it generally has less mercury than tuna.
Wild salmon caught in Alaska is a good source, whether fresh or canned. Because fatty fish like salmon can have more of banned chemicals called PCBs, it helps if you cut away or drain extra fat, skin, and darker meat.
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Shrimp Cocktail
It’s all about the sauce. The shrimp are usually steamed or boiled, which is pretty healthy. They’re high in protein, and low in fat and mercury. But the sauce, especially the classic bottled tomato-based type, can hide lots of sugar, sometimes listed as “high-fructose corn syrup.” So skip the dip, or make your own sugar-free version. You’ll find lots of recipes online.
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Manhattan Clam Chowder
Instead of butter and cream [like the New England version], this chowder uses a base of tomatoes. That’s a really good start.
Potatoes, carrots, and onions fill out the dish. It adds up to about 135 calories a cup with little saturated fat, compared with around 181 calories a cup for the same amount of New England clam chowder. Mercury is not usually a worry with “bivalve” shellfish like mussels, oysters, and clams. Be aware that ready-to-serve soup has an estimated 1000 mg of sodium in 1 cup.
Canned Tuna
This lean fish gives you protein, and has some omega-3s. But tuna grow bigger than fish like sardines and anchovies, so they often have more mercury and other chemicals in their flesh. For lower mercury levels, look for the “canned light” kind. If you like albacore, look for products from the U.S. or Canada. If you’re watching your calories and fat, buy tuna packed in water instead of oil.
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Ceviche
Made with raw fish, lime juice, and often potatoes and onions, this is a traditional dish from Latin America. The acid in the lime juice may seem to “cook” it because the flesh changes color. A week in the freezer at -4 F usually gets rid of parasites that could make you sick. But the size and type of fish also make a difference, so let a chef make your ceviche …
