Do you feel fishy about fish? I used to. What, with all the scary warnings we have heard about mercury pollution in our fish supply. At one point, I was tempted to totally exclude seafoods from our diet. But then again, it’s just a matter of knowing what kind of fish to avoid, and controlling the intake of some fish that might really be high in mercury content. It is a known fact, that they are rich in protein and other nutrients and they are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Sharks, tile fish, king mackerel and swordfish have the highest level of mercury content. You should limit your intake to only one meal per month. In fact, children, nursing moms as well as pregnant women and those that might become pregnant should never eat the above mentioned fish. Good options include salmon, shrimp, tilapia, scallops and catfish. These are known to have low mercury content. I also shy away from buying those farmed salmon as they have been reported to be contaminated with PCBS (polychlorinated biphenyls) which are identified as probable human carcinogens. I only buy wild salmon. Besides, my husband prefers thinner cuts, and the wild variety almost always comes thin.
See? We are aware of the goodness of fish, but little did we know that some can be harmful too. There are a lot of complexities in this world. It makes life more complicated. Who would have thought that there are harmful types of fish when taken in excess.
This is why we have gone almost entirely vegetarian. We do, on occasion, eat fish. Wild caught salmon or trout are the limits for us. We have begun to follow the food rules set forth in Leviticus because they help us as people avoid foods that would tend to be more contaminated and/or dangerous to eat. For us, it just makes good sense. I am amazed at those who still regularly eat fish that are heavily laden with mercury (and possibly other toxins), and that the FDA still allows it on the shelves. I think there ought to be higher awareness and more information given to consumers.
Thanks for the info!
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Basically, fish high on the food chain (the predators and the biggest fish) tend to have the highest levels of toxins such as mercury and ciguateria. Remember, big fish eat little fish!
Jan from BetterSpiness last blog post..Chiropractic a profession, not a technique.
@ Sinclair
good for you that you are now vegetarian. I look forward to that day when we can do it too. it’s been three years since I cut out pork from our diet and rarely have chicken in my daily menu. we have predominantly fish and a little red meat and turkey in the mix.
thanks for sharing your thoughts.
@ Jan
oh yes, the big ones eat the little ones. I didn’t even think of that. thanks!