Eat Fish Every Week

added 02/23/09

Healthy People, Healthy Planet
by Mary Choate, M.S., R.D., L.D.
Co-op Food and Nutrition Educator

Seafood—for many of us the word either conjures up delightful flavor sensations (blackened, poached, fish and chips) or feelings of confusion and frustration about messages concerning its safety (mercury, dioxin, PCBs).

Only about one–third of Americans report eating seafood once a week or more. More than half eat fish/shellfish a couple times a month or less. This means that most of us aren’t eating the amount recommended for good health: 12 ounces (two average meals) of low-mercury fish per week. Let’s clarify the facts and clear up the misinformation about seafood so that we can enjoy the many safe-to-eat fish and seafood choices wisely.

Why Fish?
The scientific evidence continues to mount: eating fish, particularly fish that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, appears to be beneficial for heart and arteries by maintaining normal heart rhythm, supporting lower blood pressure and heart rate, keeping blood vessels flexible and free-flowing, reducing inflammation, and, at higher doses, lowering triglycerides. Studies indicate that omega-3’s from seafood help to support normal length gestation and optimal brain, nervous system, and vision development in fetuses, infants, and young children.

The forms of omega-3’s in fish are called EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid). They are in a different form than the omega-3’s found in plant foods (ALA-alpha-linolenic acid) such as flax seed, canola oil and walnuts. The evidence is not yet as clear regarding the specific benefits of omega-3’s from plants.

Safety First
Studies from the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences and from the Harvard School of Public Health concluded that the benefits of eating seafood outweigh the risks for most people. Even groups at risk, such as pregnant woman and children, could benefit if they avoid the most contaminated species.

According to the 2004 joint statement of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration (EPA/FDA), many types of fish can be eaten safely during pregnancy. These include shellfish, canned light tuna, salmon, catfish, cod, flounder, sardines, herring, tilapia, and lake trout. Albacore (white) tuna has more mercury than light tuna, so they recommend that limiting intake to six ounces of albacore tuna a week if pregnant or nursing. If feeding a young child, serve a smaller portion.

The above-named fish are safe to eat because they are low in mercury and pollutants such as dioxin and PCBs. At high levels, these contaminants can harm health, especially that of a developing fetus or small child. The dangerous, high-mercury ocean fish to avoid are king mackerel, swordfish, shark, and tilefish. Pregnant and nursing women, women who may become pregnant, and young children should completely avoid consumption of these specific fish.

Each state puts out specific advisories regarding which locally caught fresh-water fish are safe to eat and which should be avoided because of high mercury levels or other contaminants. Links to the New Hampshire and Vermont fish advisories are listed below.

Advice about which fish are safe to eat and which are not should not be taken as a reason to avoid all fish. Think of it this way: Just like alcohol or excess caffeine, high-mercury fish should be avoided during pregnancy and should not be given to young children. High-mercury fish are not dangerous in all circumstances, only during certain stages of development. While no one should eat high-mercury fish every day, low-mercury fish can, and should, be a twice-weekly part of a healthy diet.

For more information:

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