I'm still on a quest for guidance on the whole fish topic. The same few questions keep cycling through my head. How often should I eat fish? What kind of fish should I eat? What are the real health dangers surrounding fish consumption? I keep searching for answers. And now and then, I catch some good advice about the topic. If you find yourself floundering at times, like me, here are seven tips you might find helpful.
- The National Academy of Sciences, the American Heart Association, and the World Health Organization all encourage regular fish consumption. Sure, there are legitimate concerns about environmental issues, but experts still say the benefits of eating a variety of fish far outweigh the risks. Eating fish protects the heart and reduces the risk for Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, strokes, depression, bipolar disorder, and our favorite topic here at this site: cancer.
- Mercury -- a toxic substance found in some fish and known to contribute to cancer and other health issues -- has scared me time and time again. But just recently, I think I've figured out how to manage this worry. According to the EPA and FDA, the safe limit for mercury consumption is 12 ounces of low mercury fish per week.
- Low mercury fish include but are not limited to: Anchovies, Catfish, Clams, Cod, Crab, Crawfish, Flounder, Lobster (spiny, Maine), Mackerel (Atlantic, Chub), Mahi Mahi, Mullet, Oysters, Salmon (canned, Alaskan), Scallops, Shrimp, Tilapia, Trout (freshwater), Tuna (canned, light), Whitefish, and Whiting. These are the fish we can eat frequently.
- Moderate mercury fish -- eat just six ounces per month -- include: Bass, Grouper, Halibut, Lobster (Northern/American), Mackerel (Spanish), Marlin, Snapper, Tilefish (Atlantic), and Tuna (canned, Albacore, Bigeye, Skipjack, Yellowfin). High mercury fish -- to be avoided -- include: King Mackerel, Shark, Swordfish, Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico), and Blue Fin Tuna.
- Mercury is not the only fish contaminant. Fish can also be polluted with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, polybrominated diphenyl esters (PBDE), and more. These toxins collect in the fatty tissue of fish that consumers end up eating. Plant eaters and fish lower on the food chain usually have fewer of these toxins. Predators, such as Shark, Swordfish, and King Mackerel, contain higher levels.
- I continually must remind myself about this whole farm-raised vs. wild salmon thing. OK, this is how it goes: Farmed salmon tends to be higher in PCB levels than wild salmon. Levels are still within FDA safety limits but I think I'll stick with the wild stuff myself. It also has higher proportions of omega 3 fats -- these are good for us.
- When in doubt, it's wise to consult informational resources. These are just a few: Seafood Choices Alliance, Got Mercury?, and US FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
1. To Ms. Donaldson and readers:
As evidenced by the questions posed at the start of your blog, consumers are confused about the benefits of including seafood in their diets. As a nutrition professional with the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), I work to clear up this confusion by helping people understand the most current and authoritative recommendations for eating fish. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, American Heart Association, American Dietetic Association, and the American Institute for Cancer Research all recommend that people eat at least two servings of fish per week.
Unfortunately, 80 percent of Americans are eating only about half of the seafood recommended for optimal health, and potentially missing out on the numerous health benefits such as reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease. Part of the hesitation may be a misunderstanding of the federal guidelines.
The guidelines exist only for women who are or might become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children. This special population is advised to still eat 12 ounces (or about two to four servings) of a variety of seafood each week, of which six ounces can be albacore tuna. There are only four fish that people in the special group should avoid -- shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tile fish.
As far as contaminants are concerned, numerous scientific studies from institutions such as Harvard Medical School and The Institute of Medicine have weighed the benefits and risks of seafood consumption and the results are clear: The health benefits associated with eating fish – farmed and wild alike – far outweigh any potential risk from exposure to trace amounts of substances like mercury.
Please visit the website www.aboutseafood.com for more information about eating seafood at least twice a week, including links to references and delicious recipes.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Wilmes, MS
Posted at 12:17PM on Jun 5th 2007 by Jennifer Wilmes