When it comes to healthy protein, fish is the dish

By the American Heart Association

When it comes to healthy sources of protein, fish is the dish. An entrée like grilled white fish with avocado relish is tasty, easy to cook and good for your heart.

"We recommend people to eat fish at least two times a week. It makes for a satisfying entrée that's relatively low in saturated fat compared to something like a hamburger or quiche," said Alice H. Lichtenstein, senior scientist and director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at Tufts University in Boston.

Each serving of this grilled white fish recipe boasts 21 grams of protein. Fish also is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which promotes heart health. If you want to up your omega-3 intake, substitute salmon for white fish in this recipe, Lichtenstein said.

The mix of avocado, pineapple, red onion and cilantro gives the dish a dash of color and flavor, and provides dietary fiber. "It looks good from a visual perspective as well as a health perspective," she said.

One more attractive thing is fish fillets are fairly easy and quick to cook.

"Fish doesn't require long cooking times, and there are a lot of different ways to prepare it," Lichtenstein said. "Fish is very flexible when it comes to preparation techniques and combination with other ingredients."

This article was developed by the American Heart Association with financial support from LifeBridge Health.