What You Should Know About Eating Fish
Are you confused about eating fish? Wondering what to make about the reports suggesting that fish may contain high levels of substances toxic to the body? Let Truestar give you the answers to everything you need to know about eating fish and your health.
Health Benefits
Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet as they are a lean protein source, contain many essential nutrients and are low in saturated fat. Fish, particularly cold-water fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and anchovies also contain healthy omega-3 fats. Omega-3 fats get broken down in the body into easily absorbable units called eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA has been shown to provide several health benefits including skin improvement, cardiovascular health, anti-inflammatory effects, brain-enhancing power and contribution to the proper development of children. For more information on omega-3 fats, read: http://www.truestarhealth.com/members
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Drawbacks
Recent studies show that substances toxic to the human body such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and methylmercury (MeHg) are present in high levels in some types of fish. These elevated levels of PCB and MeHg may lead to serious health concerns, especially for pregnant women, children and regular eaters of fish.
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PCBs and Salmon
Salmon is a popular fish that is rich in omega-3 fats. According to the US Department of Agriculture, farmed salmon has a higher overall fat content than wild salmon. The higher fat content of farmed fish means that farmed salmon may be contaminated with more PCBs þucarcinogenic toxins that contaminate the environment and food supply. Farmed salmon may also contain more of other pollutants and pesticides linked to immune system damage, fetal brain damage and cancer. Statistics show that an estimated 60% of all salmon fillets sold come from fish that were farmed and fattened to maximize market weight. Farmed salmon are also fed fishmeal which may also be contaminated with PCBs.
Recommendations: To decrease exposure to PCBs, trim fat off fish before cooking. Preferable cooking methods include baking, broiling or grilling fish as opposed to frying fish. These recommended cooking methods allow the PCB content in the fat to cook off. Wild and canned Alaskan salmon can be chosen over farmed salmon, although they are more costly.
Methyl mercury and Fish
Mercury is an element that is toxic in all of its forms. In fish, mercury appears in the form of methyl mercury which can be very damaging to the nervous system. Methyl mercury can contribute to health conditions such as learning disorders, developmental delays, headaches, migraines and seizures. Large predator fish, such as swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish and shark, which feed on smaller fish, have a greater chance of accumulating methyl mercury. According to the US Food and Drug Administration and the Environment Protection Agency, for most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. However, some fish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or a young child’s developing nervous system. Therefore, the risks from mercury in fish depend on the amount eaten and the levels of mercury in that particular fish.
Recommendations: According to the US Food and Drug Administration and the US Environmental Protection Agency, the following are recommendations for women who might become pregnant, women who are pregnant, nursing mothers and young children. These recommendations can help these selected groups of people receive the benefits of eating fish or shellfish and may also reduce their exposure to the harmful effects of mercury.
Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish, as they contain high levels of mercury.
Eat up to 12 oz (two average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury levels. Commonly eaten fish or shellfish lower in mercury levels include shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, cod, trout, clams, scallops, lobster and catfish. Note that albacore white tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna.
Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught in your local lakes, rivers and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 oz (one average meal) per week of fish that you catch from local waters and don’t eat any other fish during that week.
Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to young children, but serve smaller portions.
Get on the Truestar Plan with delicious meals, easy exercise plans, healthy supplements (such as high-quality fish oils), attitude and sleep recommendations.
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