by Gordon Hamilton

Created on: July 18, 2007

Seafood is not only one of the most pleasurable food substances we can enjoy, it is also one of the most beneficial in a health capacity. It is widely recognised as reducing our susceptibility to heart disease, strokes and cancer in its benefits to our cardio-vascular systems and immune systems. It can be purchased fresh, frozen or cured - for example, smoked.

There are, however, three golden rules to be observed in order to get the main benefits out of such a substance. We must buy it fresh if at all possible, consume it the same day and make sure we cook it simply and properly. If we fail to observe those simple rules, we may as well be eating a greasy takeaway!

The first step in buying seafood is to know your fish, what it should look like, how to tell when it is of superior quality and when it is past its best. Do some simple Internet research if you have to and know what you want and need before you go shopping. Not all of us have the luxury of having access to fresh fish markets or coastal towns and fishmongers where only the freshest of fayre is made available, but there are some tips which can help anyone get and make the most of what is available to them.

First of all, try to select a fishmonger, supermarket or store which is busy and has a high turnover of produce. This will assist in ensuring your fish must be fresh as opposed to have been lying on a shelf or in a bucket of ice for a day or more. The staff in the outlet should also appear knowledgeable as regards their wares and be happy to speak about the source and condition of their wares. The fish should be cleanly and properly presented in chillers with ice and not laid out on an unprotected shelf in steel trays.

The next step is to trust your senses and know what fresh fish should look, smell and feel like. Whole fresh fish should have bright, clear eyes - perhaps even protruding - and not be sunken or cloudy. They should smell of the sea, or a cold winter's morning, and not overly "fishy," which actually suggests staleness and decay. The skin should be moist and firm to the touch and the gills (if appropriate) bright red in colouration.

Fillets of fish should appear translucent to the naked eye, free from discolouration and have the same firm texture as their untreated equivalent.

Shellfish are the most dangerous of all to the untrained or unaware consumer. The shells should always be tightly closed, or at the very least assume such status at the gentlest of taps. When cooked, the opposite applies in that any which fail to open should be discarded without further consideration.

It may be off-putting to a lot of people when they hear of the potential pitfalls of buying and consuming fresh seafood but by remembering and observing these few simple rules, the untold pleasures and benefits of this wonderful delicacy can be enjoyed at their best and in all their untamed glory.

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