Finding the Healthiest Fish to Eat: When to Look for When Selecting Fish

Finding the Healthiest Fish to Eat: When to Look for When Selecting Fish
Page content

Benefits of Fish

There are so many benefits of making fish a regular part of your diet. They are low in fat, but also very high in protein and valuable nutrients such as vitamin D, selenium, and some of the B complex vitamins. Choosing fish over red meat is always a healthier choice for your body — beneficial fats instead of saturated fat, significantly less cholesterol, less calories, and easier on the digestive system.

Even more importantly, fish tend to be some of the best sources of omega-3 oils. Most people do not have enough of these essential fatty acids in their diet, and in fact consume too many omega-6 fatty acids in comparison to omega-3 fatty acids. What is so beneficial about omega-3’s? These fatty acids reduce inflammation, help to lower cholesterol levels in the body, and support healthy brain development. They are good for eye health, heart health, chronic disease prevention, skin problems, arthritis, and even mental well-being.

The American Heart Association suggests consuming at least two servings of fish a week to make sure you are getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. Are all fish the same in terms of these health benefits? Which are the healthiest fish to eat? Which ones should be a regular part of your diet and which should only be consumed in moderation?

Fish and Toxins

While fish are healthy it is important to keep in mind that they are exposed to toxins, such as mercury and dioxins. Those species that consume other species especially, such as swordfish and tilefish, tend to have higher levels of environmental pollutants in their body as they take on the toxins from what they consume. Also, some farmed fish, such as salmon tend to have higher levels of PCB’s. These toxins are known carcinogens. Farmed fish have higher levels because of the fishmeal that they are fed, which consists of ground up smaller fish.

When we consume fish we ingest any contaminates that may be present. Toxins then accumulate in body tissue, just as they were accumulating in the food chains of the lakes, rivers, and oceans. This is why it is important to seek out fish with low-mercury and PCB levels, just as it is important to not consume an excess of non-organic animal products, which also contain small amounts of environmental pollutants.

The healthiest fish to eat are high in omega-3 fatty acids but low in harmful toxins. The fatty fish, which includes salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, tuna, and sardines are the best sources of omega-3’s. However, farmed salmon is very high in PCB’s, so much so that this fish is best avoided by pregnant women. Wild salmon on the other hand has very low levels of PCB’s as well as other toxins such as mercury, and

ocean perch

some of the highest levels of omega-3’s, vitamin D, selenium, and other nutrients. Because of this wild salmon is one of the best fish to eat on a regular basis.

Tuna may have moderate to high levels of mercury; it is safe to consume less than three servings of tuna a month. Canned chunk light tuna has less mercury then yellowfin and canned albacore tuna. The other oily fish that are highly recommended by the American Heart Association — freshwater trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, and even anchovies, all have lower mercury levels and are safe enough to be consumed regularly.

Other nutrient-rich, low mercury fish include:

  • Catfish
  • Whitefish
  • Pacific Sole
  • Ocean Perch
  • Pollock
  • Black Cod

Make these types of fish a part of your diet. Try to consume at least two servings per week for the beneficial essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, but also as a low-fat alternative to animal products.

References

University of Maryland Medical Center https://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm

American Heart Association https://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Fish-and-Omega-3-Fatty-Acids\_UCM\_303248\_Article.jsp

Environmental Working Group https://www.ewg.org/reports/farmedpcbs

National Resources Defense Council https://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

photo by Ernesto Andrade

photo by Joe