NEWS Time for us to mussel-up

AUSSIE families should ditch the fish and mussel-up if they want to help their health and save our oceans.

Rich in omega-3, mussels should form part of our weekly diet – and preferably eaten three times a week – not reserved for entrees and special occasions, according to new research. Deakin University study has found not only can the humble and relatively cheap mussel improve human health, it can also be farmed more sustainably than meat or fish like salmon, and can even help clean our oceans.

Mussels were also tasty and brimming with long chain omega-3, an essential fatty acid needed for proper brain development and heart and general human health, lead researcher Dr Lee Hamilton said.

“For people not meeting omega-3 requirements, introducing mussels to their diet a few times a week could be a good strategy,” he said. “I really want to reframe how people see mussels. Mussels are not just a starter in a fancy restaurant, they can be used as a protein component in a variety of ways. If the mussels are purchased fresh from a local supplier then the price point is not that much different to more common meat sources in Australia, and the price per milligram of omega-3 is similar to other popular sources like salmon.”

A lecturer in Deakin’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), Dr Hamilton said just one in five people globally met recommended omega-3 targets for good health, and there was not enough omega-3 in the ocean to service the world’s needs.

“Most people don’t get enough long chain omega-3 because they’re not eating enough oily fish or shellfish.

But if the world’s population did hit that target, it would decimate the ocean’s food stocks,” Dr Hamilton said.

Dr Hamilton said the pilot study – carried out with aquaculture colleagues at Stirling University in Scotland – found providing mussels as the protein component of a few lunchtime meals every week could boost people’s omega-3 index.