Eating ( sh: There’s a catch

Health bene ; ts ; ght a current of mercury, conservation concerns

The results are in, and there’s no question about it: Fish is really, really good for you. Not only is it packed with healthful vitamins and minerals, it is also a major source of omega- 3 fatty acids, which a veritable J ood of recent studies shows lowers the chance of heart attack, makes babies smarter, wards off dementia and stroke in the elderly, and even seems to guard against dry-eye syndrome.

But there’s a J y in the ointment. Actually, two J ies.

Some ;sh are mercury-;lled time

bombs, according to a parade of reports

from government agencies and environmental groups.

And we’re emptying the oceans of some

; sh. Over; shing and habitat destruction has left some species as low as 1% of their original populations, according to federal data.

So what now? Do we eat ; sh at least twice as week, as many nutritionists say we should?

Or is it time to pack away the tartar sauce?

Not on your life, say ; ve Harvard University studies published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Their advice: Pick up that ; sh fork and start eating.

Overblown fears could cause consumers to lower their consumption and lose the “ substantial nutritional bene; ts” ; sh offers, the researchers found. Please see COVER STORY next pageu

By James H. Kegley for USA TODAY