Time to switch things up? Try salmon

A new report by the country’s largest producer of Tasmanian-grown Atlantic salmon, Tassal, has revealed 85 percent of Australians admit they would like to improve their eating habits and adopt a healthier diet. The report also found that more than six in 10 Aussies admit they feel guilty about their diet and want to cook healthier meals on a regular basis.

The Switch Up Your Diet Report study was conducted by YouGov, and looked at the eating habits of Australians. Findings showed that the time and effort required for healthy home cooking play key roles as to why Aussies don’t eat as well as they could.

Other key reasons for Australians not eating as healthily as they might include being too tired to cook (41%) and not having enough time (27%). “Meal-time fatigue” is also on the rise, with more than half of those surveyed admitting to feeling bored at meal times as they replicate the same old dishes every week. At the same time, most Australians are only trying around one new recipe each month.

Additionally, the report looked at Australia’s consumption of seafood and perception of omega-3 fatty acids. It found that more than four in 10 Aussies – the equivalent of 8.8 million Australians – are unaware of what omega-3 is or its benefits to the body, which includes contributing to heart and brain health as well as immune function.

Research also shows that the majority of Australians are not following national guidelines for weekly fish consumption. Just 15 percent of us are aware of government recommendations, which outline that we should be eating two serves of fish and other seafood each week. Only around one in four Aussies – just 5.5 million – are eating this much.

Off the back of the findings, one of the nation’s top health and fitness experts, Sam Wood, is encouraging Australians to switch up their diet with Tassal salmon as an alternative to other frequently used protein sources.

“Salmon is one of the best sources of omega-3, an essential fatty acid containing DHA and EPA that cannot be produced by the body itself,” Wood says. “Salmon is also a good source of protein and contains vitamin D, E and a range of B group vitamins and antioxidants.

“It’s as simple as swapping chicken for salmon in a taco, or pork for salmon on a pizza. Or have you even thought about switching beef for salmon in a spaghetti bolognese?”

Stretch your imagination and you’ll find that salmon can be used in any number of dishes, from pies and risottos to burgers and bakes. For some truly inspired salmon recipes from Tassal, head to tassal.com.au