There are so many options for adding raw seafood to your diet. From poke bowls to raw oysters, to sashimi to ceviche, the possibilities are endless and delicious. But did you know weaving raw seafood into your diet comes with some huge health benefits? Raw seafood is chock full of vital nutrients and lets you do away with the extra chemicals and oil from cooked fish. Plus, many people love the taste of raw seafood, savoring the taste of a healthy and sustainable food source.
At Feast Raw Bar & Bistro, preparing innovative seafood dishes that delight your palate is our speciality! Not only do we strive to create dishes that deliver an exciting explosion of flavor in your mouth, we also want our food to be healthful for you. That’s why we take pride in partnering with purveyors who provide us with the freshest ingredients and seafood companies that deliver to us the best raw seafood in the country. Read on as we share a few benefits of eating raw seafood and how we incorporate it into our menu.
3 Benefits of Raw Seafood
There are many advantages to eating raw seafood, and the benefits can vary depending on the type of seafood you consume. For example, raw salmon is full of antioxidants, which can help your body to repair its own cells and tissue. Raw oysters are known for boosting brain function and improving your immune system, and raw tuna is noted for its potential to reduce heart disease.
Boosting brain health, rebuilding cells, and lessening one’s risk of heart illness are only a few of the endless merits of eating raw seafood. Here are three important benefits of eating raw seafood that we find especially valuable:
- Omega-3 Fats – Fish is naturally high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to many healthful benefits, including improving heart health to reducing depression and anxiety. Frying fish may reduce the amount of healthy omega-3 fatty acids in the fish, so eating raw fish can be a great way to get as many Omega-3 fats as possible. Seafood that tops the charts for Omega-3 fatty acids are tuna and salmon, both of which are great options to eat raw.
- Reduced Consumption of Chemicals – Raw fish doesn’t contain contaminants that form when fish is fried or grilled. For instance, fish cooked under high heat may contain varying amounts of heterocyclic amines, a known carcinogen. Fresh raw fish is a great way to get all the health benefits of fish without contaminants.
- Rich Nutrients – Fish is an excellent source of protein and many of the vitamins and minerals that help your body function properly. Weaving raw fish into your diet gives your body a boost of essential crucial vitamins and minerals, like vitamin A and vitamin D. Vitamin A contains powerful antioxidants, and vitamin D helps your body use calcium, which promotes healthy bones and teeth.
What to Look Out for When Eating Raw Seafood
Eating raw seafood can come with some risks, such as an increased risk of bacteria. It is generally recommended that high-risk groups—such as people with compromised immune systems, babies, and older adults — should not eat raw or undercooked fish. If you are going to eat raw seafood, keeping informed can help minimize any potential risks. iHere are a couple of factors to look out for when eating raw seafood:
- Bacteria – While rare, the most common risk of eating raw seafood is being exposed to harmful bacteria and parasites such as tapeworms. However, the risk is very low, and most parasites and bacteria can be easily killed when fish is frozen before consumption.
The Solution – Your best step is finding a trusted source for your raw seafood. Look for restaurants with good reviews and inspection ratings. Consider where restaurants or suppliers source their fish from, and don’t be afraid to ask establishments about what they do to prepare their raw seafood safely.
At Feast, the freshness of our seafood is vital. It’s why we’re known for serving the best seafood in Bozeman! We only order from purveyors that make freshness their highest priority, and we only select seafood that is top-tier in quality. For example, our oysters are harvested daily and shipped to us directly from Island Creek Oyster Company on the East Coast and Taylor Shellfish Farms on the West Coast. If you enjoy dining on the fruits of the sea, learn more about how to relish your oyster bar experience. - Mercury – Raw fish can contain high levels of chemical contaminants like methylmercury. Mercury occurs naturally in our environment, but it’s also a byproduct of pollution that enters our oceans, where it builds up in fish. Consuming too much methylmercury on a regular basis has been linked to health issues such as memory loss and hair loss.
The Solution – According to the Food and Drug Administration, one week’s consumption of tuna or any raw fish is not going to change the methylmercury levels in your body at all. Some fish are also naturally lower in mercury (like shrimp and salmon), while others naturally contain higher levels of mercury (such as swordfish).
How Feast Uses Raw Seafood in Our Menu
At Feast, our menu overflows with delectable options for experiencing superior quality raw seafood. Using fresh, seasonal, and organic ingredients inspires our menu, so we weave raw seafood into both our traditional and world cuisine dishes. For example, our daily ceviche features fresh fish marinated in citrus and spices. Our shellfish feast also showcases a sumptuous selection of raw seafood, including raw oysters, fresh ceviche, and jumbo shrimp. Our goal is to consistently deliver top-quality, fresh, unique seafood dishes throughout our menu, setting us apart as leaders in the Bozeman seafood scene. Learn more about how we use seafood in our menu.
Ready to Discover How Delicious Raw Seafood Can Be?
Raw seafood comes with some wonderful benefits, and the raw bar at your local seafood restaurant is a fantastic option for weaving it into your diet. If you’re looking for a great source of raw seafood, check out our Bozeman raw bar and enjoy some fresh oysters, delicious ceviche, and more. Gather your friends or family and come down to Feast Raw Bar & Bistro; your table is waiting for you! Reserve your table online or call us at (406) 577-2377.