Choosing Safe to Eat Fish
Deciding if it's safe to eat fish: how, when, and what kind!
With all the pollutants out there, many people wonder if it's still safe to eat fish. And as with so many questions, there's no easy answer. The short response is some times, and some types. The long response, though, is much more complicated. The fact is that your body needs the essential omega 3 fatty acids fish contain, but it certainly doesn't need high doses of mercury and other pollutants.
Fortunately, there are safer and more responsible options for those of us looking for safe fish to eat. Here is your guide to choosing the best fish options for you and your family.
Finding Healthy Fish to Eat
Here are some useful tips for buying healthy fish to eat.
1. Try to choose fish that are lower in mercury.
Mercury and other contaminants are the biggest dangers when it comes to eating fish. The worst offenders are shark, swordfish, and king mackerel -- although fortunately those aren't high on many people's shopping lists anyway. However, there are also many common fish that are quite low in mercury and make better choices. Some of these include:
-clams
-catfish
-herring
-pollock
-trout
-anchovies
-wild salmon -- farmed salmon often contains other types of contaminants
2. Children and pregnant women should be particularly careful.
Many pregnant women wonder: is it safe to eat fish during pregnancy? Again, the answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no. Experts recommend that pregnant women and children follow the same guidelines: stick to fish that are low in contaminants, avoid raw fish, and limit your fish servings to no more than twice a week. It is important to get essential fatty acids during pregnancy, so purified fish oil is also an option.
3. Eat tuna cautiously.
A lot of people have questions about canned tuna, since it's an inexpensive and easy source of fish that most kids are actually willing to eat. Canned tuna is a relatively safe fish to eat, but it's not the very lowest in mercury, so you should limit yourself to no more than six servings per month.
4. Think of the environment.
In addition to worrying about mercury and contaminants, we also need to consider the fact that we've pushed some fish to the brink of extinction. These are some fish that, while they may be safe to eat, present a real danger to the environment:
-Snapper
-Skipjack tuna
-Atlantic haddock
-Alaskan cod
-scallops
-flounder
When you're making decisions about fish, it's important to consider not only your health, but the planet's. We need to be aware of both the health benefits of fish and the potential dangers to both us and the earth. When you're on the hunt for safe to eat fish, make sure you make an informed decision!
