Nutrition 109: Top 6 Fish to Eat or Not!

Six of the Healthiest Fish:

Six of the Healthiest Fish:

1. Albacore Tuna - troll- or pole-caught from U.S. or British Columbia
- lower mercury & have higher omega-3 counts

2. Salmon - wild-caught Alaskan
- high omega-3s & carry few contaminants

3. Oysters - farmed
- omega-3s & 1/3 of recommended daily values of iron

4. Sardines - Pacific wild-caught
- superfood, highest omega-3s & naturally high in vitamin D

5. Rainbow Trout – farmed
- high omega-3s

6. Freshwater Coho Salmon - farmed in tank systems, from the U.S.
- have earned a Best Choice status from Seafood Watch for farmed fish


Six Fish to AVOID:

1. Bluefin Tuna
- high levels of mercury and their PCBs are so high that Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) recommends not eating this fish at all

2. Chilean Sea Bass (aka Patagonian Toothfish)
- high mercury levels: adults should eat no more than two meals per month and children aged 12 and younger should eat it no more than once a month. Best to not eat it at all.

3. Grouper
- High mercury levels in these giant fish have caused EDF to issue a consumption advisory

4. Monkfish
- fish is recovering some after being depleted

5. Orange Roughy
- High mercury levels in these giant fish have caused EDF to issue a consumption advisory

6. Salmon (farmed - Most farmed salmon and all salmon labeled “Atlantic salmon” is farmed)
- High PCBs levels, often rife with parasites and disease and are given antibiotics to combat disease


References:
EatingWell.com - Six of the healthiest fish to eat (and Six to avoid):
http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/health_blog/6_of_the_healthiest_fish_to_eat_and_6_to_avoid

HuffingtonPost.com - 6 of the Healthiest Fish... And 6 Fish to Avoid:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eatingwell/healthy-fish_b_1387875.html

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