Fish in Your Heart-Friendly Menu

As American Heart Month approaches, creating heart-healthy menus becomes a major focus in foodservice. While heart-healthy eating is year-round, February is a time when awareness is high and foodservice consumers explore new culinary concepts.

Salmon, tuna a cornerstone

As the two most popular forms of fish in the U.S., salmon and tuna tend to take center stage on menus. Both are high in omega-3s. Harvard Health tells us, “An analysis of 20 studies involving hundreds of thousands of participants indicates that eating approximately one to two 3 oz servings of fatty fish a week…reduces the risk of dying from heart disease by 36%.”

How fish promotes heart health

According to the continuing education course, Seafood Savvy: Nutrition, eating fish does the following things to benefit heart health:

• Reduces the growth of atherosclerotic plaque and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduces the risk of heart attack or stroke
• Decreases risk of heart arrhythmias
• Decreases blood triglyceride levels
• Increases good (HDL) cholesterol
• Improves circulation
• Lowers blood pressure and heart rate

Seafood recommendations

The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating at least two servings of seafood per week. The Mediterranean Diet, rated #1 for 2019 by US News & World Report, also recommends generous fish consumption. 

Yet 80-90% of Americans do not eat as much seafood as recommended, according to government research. Some consumers are unsure of how to prepare fish, and others may be uncertain about how to source it. This is likely why two-thirds of U.S. fish consumption happens in restaurants. 

Canned salmon and tuna are excellent sources of omega-3s. When choosing heart-healthy fish for your menu, opt for tuna canned in water rather than oil, as this preserves the omega-3 content. 

Celebrating American Heart Month

For heart-healthy menu ideas, check out this free Heart Month toolkit, which includes recipes, merchandising tips, social media posts, and an educational handout. And explore the Health & Wellness foodservice recipe collection for more menu inspiration. 

To learn more about the health benefits of fish, try the CE course, Seafood Savvy: Nutriton, approved for 1 hr CE by the ACF, CBDM, and CDR.