This blog post features a few key takeaways from Dr. Megan’s Wellness Your Way podcast with Sena Wheeler breaking down everything you need to know how to choose healthy seafood. Find the full episode here and be sure to subscribe to Wellness Your Way so you don’t miss future episodes!

Guest Bio: Sena Wheeler

Sena Wheeler is part of a multigenerational fishing family and the co-founder of Sena Sea, a company that brings wild Alaskan seafood directly to consumers. With a master’s degree in nutrition and food science specializing in omega-3s in fish and premium seafood handling practices, Sena combines her background in nutrition with her family’s fishing heritage. She is passionate about sustainability, helping busy families eat healthier, and educating people about the nutritional benefits of wild fish.

Top Insights from Sena Wheeler’s Interview:

1. Seafood is a nutritional powerhouse that provides complete protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and important micronutrients like vitamins B and D. It’s a nutrient-dense food that can be an easy way to improve the overall quality of your diet.
2. If you aren’t eating seafood regularly, simply adding it a couple of times a week is a great place to start. You don’t need to become an expert on every type of fish before you can benefit from eating more of it.
3. When choosing seafood, wild-caught is a good next step if it’s available to you. Wild fish eat their natural diets and are active in the water, which can contribute to favorable omega-3 and omega-6 ratios as well as taste and nutritional qualities.
4. U.S.-caught seafood, and particularly Alaskan seafood, can offer additional reassurance around sustainability and sourcing. Sena explains that Alaska does not allow fish farming and that wild fisheries are carefully regulated based on the abundance of each species.
5. Mercury is worth being aware of, but it shouldn’t automatically scare you away from eating seafood. Choosing fish that are high in omega-3s and have shorter lifespans, such as salmon and black cod, can be a good strategy for keeping mercury exposure lower.
6. If you think you don’t like seafood, don’t assume you’ve tried enough varieties to make that decision. Different species have dramatically different flavors and textures, and mild fish like halibut can be a good starting point for someone who isn’t a seafood fan.
7. Parents can unintentionally reinforce the idea that their children don’t like fish by talking about it that way. Sena recommends simply serving seafood alongside other foods without making a big deal about whether a child will eat it.
8. The word “fresh” on a seafood label doesn’t necessarily mean the fish is higher quality than frozen fish. Fish that is frozen quickly after being caught can preserve its quality extremely well, while seafood labeled fresh may have gone through an unclear chain of handling and defrosting.
9. The quality of seafood is influenced by what happens immediately after the fish is caught. Sena describes how her family focuses on careful handling, bleeding, chilling, and freezing to preserve the quality of the fish from the moment it comes out of the ocean.
10. Making seafood convenient can remove many of the barriers that keep people from eating it regularly. Individually portioned fish, simple defrosting methods, easy recipes, and delivery can make it much easier to incorporate seafood into everyday meals.

Want to hear the full episode, including how to choose healthy seafood, wild vs. farmed fish, mercury concerns, sustainability, and so much more?

Check out the podcast episode here!