Choose seafood wisely
Fish is a lean source of protein, but make sure selections are safe
As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I recommend eating seafood over red meat for several health reasons. Fish provide a lean source of protein and are low in saturated fats.
However, many species have been dangerously overfished and others contain high amounts of mercury, PCBs, pesticides or even microplastics. Thus, if we choose to consume seafood, we should do so wisely. Today, we will look at some of the pros and cons of eating fish.
Pros
INFANTS: Fatty fish provides a rich source of two important long chain omega 3 fatty acids: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), with 22 carbons, and eicosahexanoic acid (EPA), with 20 carbons. DHA plays a crucial role in the development of the brain (cerebral cortex), the eye (retina) and sperm. Adequate DHA consumption is particularly important during pregnancy and infancy. Thus, pregnant women may be advised to take a supplement of DHA from algae oil and DHA is added to infant formula and to some infant and toddler foods. HEART DISEASE AND OTHER DISEASES: Harvard University found that eating 2,000 mg of omega-3 fatty acids (1-2 servings of fatty fish) a week reduced the risk of dying from heart disease by as much as 36 percent. Based on these findings, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Heart Association recommend eating fish 2 or 3 times a week. The long-chain omega 3 fatty acids found in fatty fish may also reduce the risk of stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, depression and other diseases.
Cons
MERCURY AND POLLUTANTS: But what about the mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and pesticides found in fish?
Mercury is a neurotoxin and can also increase the risk of heart disease. Most health organizations believe that the risks of eating fish are outweighed by the benefits provided that the fish
consumed are not high in mercury.
The EPA and FDA recently updated their advice on eating fish and suggest that pregnant and breastfeeding women and children increase their consumption of fish. The new recommendation suggests that adults and children over 10 years of age should eat 2-3 servings (one serving is 4 ounces) of fish and shellfish per week but no more than 12 ounces per week to obtain the health benefits of fish from a variety of different fish and to avoid very high mercury fish (shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tile fish).
One to two servings of fish per week are recommended for children 10 and younger with smaller servings for younger children. The EPA also provides detailed advice for choosing seafood wisely at epa.gov/ choose-fish-and-shellfish-wisely.
PCBs are another contaminant of concern and a potential carcinogen. These are stored in fatty tissue and get concentrated up the food chain. Dietary sources include meat, dairy, eggs, vegetables and fish.
Large fatty fish and farmed salmon often have high levels of PCBs. Atlantic salmon are farmed salmon whereas Pacific and Alaskan or canned salmon is wild. European farmed salmon have even higher levels of PCBs than American salmon.
To reduce exposure, trim skin and fat from meat or fish before cooking and avoid frying. Wild and canned salmon have much lower levels of PCBs than farmed salmon. If you choose to eat farmed salmon, do not consume it more than once a month.
A relatively new health concern is that the plastic in polluted waters breaks down and forms microscopic plastic debris (microplastics) that enters the food chain. Microplastics contain their own potentially hazardous chemicals such as BPA, a hormone disruptor, as well as flame retardants and other chemicals. In addition, microplastics act like sponges by absorbing, concentrating and releasing pollutants found in water such as DDT and BPA into the food chain. The toll on human health of microplastics is currently under investigation.
What to eat
Mercury and other pollutants are concentrated along the food chain and therefore it is generally safer to consume seafood that is lower on the food chain. North American shrimp, canned light tuna, wild or canned salmon, Alaskan pollock, sardines and farmed domestic catfish are considered to be low in mercury and other pollutants. In addition, consumers who fish should check their local fish consumption advisories as there are regional variations in mercury and other pollutants in fish from local rivers and lakes.
Fortunately for seafood lovers, there are resources to select eco-friendly seafood that is low in mercury and pesticides. One of the best resources on choosing fish wisely is the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) Good Seafood Guide at ewg.org/research/ewgsgood-seafood-guide.
According to the EWG, the fish that contain very high amounts of mercury should be completely avoided by pregnant women and children as mercury can harm the developing brain and reduce IQ. These very high mercury-containing fish include: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tile fish (also known as golden snapper or golden bass), marlin, blue fin tuna steaks or sushi, and orange roughy. The EWG recommendations are even stricter than those of the EPA in that they recommend pregnant women and children consume only small amounts of canned light and albacore tuna, halibut, lobster, mahi mahi and sea bass.