Research continually confirms that seafood is healthy. It has been shown that consumption of seafood helps to prevent cardiovascular diseases. Seafood consumption can also have a positive effect on other diseases, including diabetes and some inflammatory diseases.
The health benefits of consuming seafood have mainly been attributed to the content of omega-3 fatty acids. Seafood contains other substances which are proven to have a positive effect. Fatty fish is a good source of vitamin D, and seafood has a high content of the essential minerals selenium and iodine.
Seafood also contains bioactive substances or in other words non-essential nutrients which can have a favourable effect on the consumer's health. Nofima has several research projects on seafood and health, and these projects have particular focus on the health effects of substances other than omega-3.
Seafood and diabetes
Diabetes is a growing problem nationally and globally. It has been estimated that on a global basis 300 million people will have type 2 diabetes by 2025. Some studies have shown that fish protein can protect against the development of diabetes. Nofima has two projects focusing on seafood and diabetes.
By comparing different protein sources, scientists at Nofima want to study which sources have a positive effect on diabetes. Cod protein has proven to be particularly favourable. This is a collaborative project with a recognised Canadian research team at Laval University and Professor Terje Larsen at the University of Tromsø.
Cardiovascular disease in Norway and Russia
Nofima also collaborates with the Institute for Community Medicine at the University of Tromsø and the University of Arkangelsk in Russia. This population study compares the extensiveness of cardiovascular disease in North-west Russia to Norway. The aim is to find out why cardiovascular disease is more widespread in Russia than in Norway.
Natural blood pressure reducer from the sea
Seafood contains proteins and other nutrients which in some studies have shown to have a favourable effect on enzymes which regulate blood pressure. During the digestion process, the fish proteins break down into peptides, some of which inhibit the formation of angiotensin II (ACE inhibitors). Scientists at Nofima have found several potent ACE inhibitors from the marine environment.
Processing reduces health benefits
Seafood in Norway and most other countries undergoes processing before it is consumed. During this processing, the products lose a many of the nutrients and some of these substances are proven to have beneficial health effects. Nofima is collaborating with the Norwegian College of Fishery Science and the Department of Medical Biology at the University of Tromsø to document whether processing of seafood influences some of the health effect.
Consumer behaviour
Even though it has been emphatically proven that seafood is healthy, it has proven challenging to translate this into increased consumption of seafood. This applies particularly to children and young people. Nofima has drawn attention to this problem and is researching why seafood is not so popular among children and young people.
MARIFUNC
MARIFUNC (marifunc.org) is the Nordic network for marine functional foods, which has entailed scientists from the Nordic region studying the health promoting components in seafood. The work has resulted in the publication of a report/book describing functional substances in seafood and stating which health effects the various substances have. The project has been co-ordinated from Nofima and several Nofima scientists have contributed to the report (link to the report and book).
Sea and health
Nofima has in collaboration with the Norwegian Seafood Association (NSL) produced a brochure (link to brochure) describing the health benefits of consuming seafood. The brochure also provides an explanation of why seafood is a unique article of food and includes a detailed overview of the nutritional content in Norwegian fish species.
