Use fresh fish if possible, since it is easier to work with than frozen fish. Each serving should be about 6-8 ounces for fillets or steaks, and 8-12 ounces for whole fish. You can place fish directly on the grill, but if you do this, you should use a firm fleshed fish, like grouper, tuna, swordfish, or salmon. You can also buy grill baskets made for grilling seafood. These will help small pieces of fish from falling through the grill, and will help in grilling delicate fillets.

Cook the fish over medium-hot to hot heat. If your grill doesn’t have a thermometer, then hold your hand about 5 inches above the heat. If you can hold your hand there for 2 seconds, the temperature is hot. If you can hold your hand 5 inches from the heat for 3-4 seconds, it is medium hot. If you’re cooking whole fish, you’ll need to have the temperature a bit lower, so the fish won’t burn. You should plan on cooking the fish for about 10 minutes for every inch of thickness. The fish is done cooking when it is opaque, and begins to flake. It is better to undercook the fish a bit than overcooking it. You can always cook it some more if it is undercooked, but you can’t uncook it if it is overcooked.

Marinades are a good way to add flavor and moisture to the fish before cooking. You only need to marinate fish for 30-60 minutes. If you marinate the fish for too long, the acids in the marinade will start to cook and break down the flesh. Lean fish should also be basted during cooking to keep the fish from drying out. Fattier fish, like tuna and salmon don’t need basting, but you can baste them to add more flavor.

Shrimp, Scallops, and chunks of firm fleshed fish work well on skewers. Alternate chunks of seafood with chunks of vegetables on a skewer for great seafood kebobs. If you’re using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them for 30 minutes before grilling to prevent them from burning on the grill.

The northeast USA is home to clams, scallops, lobsters, cod, striped bass, swordfish and other seafood. Visitors to Maine, Massachusetts, New York and other areas are thrilled to find local restaurants and seafood stands where fresh lobster, steam clams and other treasures are served hot and ready to eat. As vacationers move south along the Mid-Atlantic coast, the variety changes to include blue crabs, oysters, saltwater trout, flounder and more.

The Chesapeake Bay area includes Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Local seafood restaurants, carryouts and markets serve crabs, scallops, oysters, clams, fish and other local items. Delicacies such as steamed crabs, soft crab sandwiches and crabcakes await summertime travelers. In the cooler months, oysters, clams and fish are in season and ready to enjoy.

Beaches along the southern part of the USA feature a different style of cooking and variety of seafood. Once vacationers reach North Carolina and South, shrimp, snapper, cobia and other fish begin to dominate the cuisine. Fresh local shrimp are an integral part of beach cuisine thru the Carolinas, Georgia and into Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Beach lovers that venture into the Caribbean also find unique seafood dishes that might include unfamiliar dishes such as conch chowder, grilled rock lobster tails, mahi mahi and grouper. The mixture of tropical fruits, spices and local seafood offer visitors with exciting mealtime experiences.

Without getting too technical, you realize why seafood is such a great functional food. For development and maintenance of musculature throughout our lifetime, your bodies need amino acids – proteins that make body muscle. Good health is the result of nine amino acids that your bodies need on a daily – and all seafood contains all nine of these amino acids. No more, no less!

Another reason why seafood is a functional food is it contains ‘omega-3 fatty acids’ needed to remain healthy. Along wit homega3′s, seafood contains an abundance of this polyunsaturated fatty acid. In some fish species – like sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria – the omega-3 literally oozes from its flesh. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce the bad LDL blood cholesterol levels and increasing the good HDL cholesterol levels. This reduces your chances of cardiovascular disease – reduced chance of strokes and heart attacks.

Another notable fact that makes seafood functional food is that it contains ‘Selenium’ – something your bodies need for maintaining your immunity against disease. Every cell in your body needs Selenium to function properly. Crab and lobster species contain a high amount of Selenium, though seafood in general contains at least some of this vital element. Thus, two of the most delectable crustaceans of the sea are such a rich source of something that your bodies need to fight diseases. That is the benefit being true omnivores, something that true vegans miss out on entirely!

Remember that seafood is not only delicious; it can also provide wonderful benefits to your health.