Lecture aims to help people make healthy seafood choices Free lecture concludes 8th annual Sea Grant/Cooperative Extension series on September 11 Lori Pivarnik, Rhode Island Sea Grant/URI Cooperative Extension seafood specialist, encourages people to eat seafood as often as possible: “It’s good for your health! Seafood is high in nutrients, low in calories, it’s a good source of protein, it’s easy to digest, and what fat it does have is good fat—omega-3 fatty acids that reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease and help cognitive development in infants and children.” But “it’s hard for people to figure out what seafood to eat,” says David Beutel, Rhode Island Sea Grant Sustainable Fisheries Extension specialist. “Seafood pocket cards, stories in the media—the information is confusing and dated.” For example, “people have heard that cod stocks have crashed and not to eat cod,” Beutel continues, “but cod is still being caught, so people should continue to eat it—just don’t make it your first choice every time. Make sustainably caught fish your first choice and save cod for special occasions.” Beutel and Pivarnik hope to help people wade through the confusion about seafood in their talk, “Healthy Seafood, Healthy You” on Tuesday, September 11, at 7 p.m. at the North Kingstown Free Library, 100 Boone Street. “We want to tell people, ‘When buying fish, here’s some things to consider’ to help them make more informed choices,” says Beutel. “Healthy Seafood, Healthy You” is the last presentation in the annual Summer Community Lecture Series sponsored by Rhode Island Sea Grant and URI Cooperative Extension/Nutrition and Food Sciences Department. This lecture is also sponsored by the North Kingstown Free Library. The lecture is free, but seating is limited, so reservations are required. Contact the North Kingstown Free Library at (401) 294-3306. For information about upcoming Rhode Island Sea Grant–sponsored events, visit: seagrant.gso.uri.edu or call (401) 874-6842. ### Return to News |