Healthy Fish Is the Best Fish Oil
- Post Written by John Kairupan on January 21, 2010
photo courtesy of afagen
There has been a lot of talk out their about fish oil and its benefits. The question that seems to always be asked is “what is the best fish oil”. Well, I have some exciting news for you…
Eating healthy fish is the best fish oil for you.
In this article I would like to give you my insights about what constitutes a healthy fish, the mercury factor of fish and the benefits of eating healthy fish.
I have done extensive research on healthy fish and I believe you really have to know where your fish is coming from.
Rule #1- Find out if the fish you are getting is farmed fish or fresh fish from ocean, lake or river sources. Almost always choose fresh over farmed because their is less bacteria, toxins and contamination in fresh fish, however…
Rule #2- Stay away from fish high in mercury. Fresh fish from the ocean or sea may contain high levels of mercury that can be toxic. You need to know which fish contains the least amount of mercury. More on this in a moment…
Like other millions of people around the world, I love to eat fish and seafood. In fact, eating shellfish and steamed or grilled fish is one of my favourite dishes, however, if I don’t know where the fish came from, I won’t touch it with a 10 foot poll.
Traveling in Chile has exposed me to a wide variety of foods, including beef, fresh fruit, and vegetables. One of the highlights of Chilean food is its abundance and diversity of sea foods due to its 4,270 km of coastline. Most of Chile’s restaurants feature a majority of seafood and so do the markets we visit each week.
Fish is generally a healthy protein choice, lower in saturated fat, total fat and calories than a comparable portion of meat or poultry – studies have shown this for over and over again.
Some fish, particularly fatty, cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and herring are high in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of fat that helps make your blood less likely to form clots that may cause heart attacks. Anchovies, sardines and lake trout are other good sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
For those who enjoy eating shell fish such as clams, mussels, crabs, and oysters, you still get the healthy fish benefits. This type of seafood is one of the best sources of protein, essential oils (fatty acids omega 3), and health-boosting nutrients.
So what are omega 3 fatty acids and why are they so healthy for us? Well, I am not going to get into the science but check out this links below for some really good information on this.
http://www.omega-3.us/omega-3/omega-3-benefits/
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/55362/title/Benefits_of_omega-3_fatty_acids_tally_up
Ok …back to Rule #2 the Mercury factor…
All fish contains a small amount of mercury, but some types of fish (large ones which eat other fish) contain high levels of mercury. Excess mercury accumulates in waterways and shows up in fish as the highly toxic methyl mercury. If you eat fish that contains methyl mercury, the toxin can accumulate and remain in your body for up to a year (or longer), causing major health concerns.
Here is a list of based on the highest standard of data and research from the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) – http://www.nrdc.org/
Anchovies
Butterfish
Catfish
Clam
Crab (Domestic)
Crawfish/Crayfish
Croaker (Atlantic)
Flounder
Haddock (Atlantic)
Hake
Herring
Mackerel (N. Atlantic, Chub)
Mullet
Oyster
Perch (Ocean)
Plaice
Pollock
Salmon (Canned)
Salmon (Fresh)
Sardine
Scallop
Shad (American)
Shrimp
Sole (Pacific)
Squid (Calamari)
Tilapia
Trout (Freshwater)
Whitefish
Whiting
MODERATE MERCURY – Eat six servings or less per month:
Bass (Striped, Black)
Carp
Cod (Alaskan)
Croaker (White Pacific)
Halibut (Atlantic)
Halibut (Pacific)
Jacksmelt
(Silverside)
Lobster
Mahi Mahi
Monkfish
Perch (Freshwater)
Sablefish
Skate
Snapper
Tuna (Canned
chunk light)
Tuna (Skipjack)
Weakfish (Sea Trout)
HIGH MERCURY – Eat three servings or less per month:
Bluefish
Grouper
Mackerel (Spanish, Gulf)
Sea Bass (Chilean)
Tuna (Canned Albacore)
Tuna (Yellow fin)
HIGHEST MERCURY – Avoid eating
Mackerel (King)
Marlin
Orange Roughy
Shark
Swordfish
Tilefish
Tuna (Bigeye, Ahi)
*Tuna mercury levels can be different based on the type of tuna and where it was caught.
Is there mercury in fish oil?
The answer is yes, just how much we do not know for sure – it depends on the company and their methods of purification… This is not an article on fish oils, so you need to do the research. For more info go to
http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=16536
http://www.omega3oils.info/fishoilsupplements/pharmaceuticalgradefishoil/
Some people worry about eating oily fish because they’ve heard it contains pollutants and can be harmful. However, these pollutants in some fish (dioxins and PCBs polychlorinated biphenyls) are only present at a very low level, and are associated with most foods containing fats.
The Food Standard Agency’s recommendations are that:
■ Men can safely eat up to four portions of oily fish per week
■ Women past child-bearing age, or who are never going to have a baby, can also eat up to four portions of oily fish per week
■ Girls, women who might get pregnant and pregnant woman should eat a maximum of two portions of oily fish per week
Fish that should be avoided altogether by pregnant women are: Shark, Swordfish, King mackerel, Tuna and Tilefish. This makes me think, that is pregnant women shouldn’t eat that amount than neither should I (again, see the list above for fish with the highest and lowest mercury content).
Are you eating enough fish?
I eat at least two portions of fish a week including one of oily fish. But most people aren’t eating enough fish to get the health benefits. White (non-oily) fish, cod, haddock and plaice, are an excellent source of lean protein which contains essential vitamins and minerals, including selenium and iodine.
Oily fish, such as sardines, herring, mackerel, trout and salmon, are rich in omega 3 fatty acids which help prevent heart disease, and may also boost brain power. Note that fresh tuna counts as an oily fish, but canned tuna doesn’t (due to the canning process). I stay away from tuna altogether due to the high amounts of mercury. When I can, I will stick to eating Salmon which has the lowest amount of mercury.
Worried about your cholesterol?
High cholesterol has long been associated with these shellfish such as lobster and shrimp, which is why many people worried about their cholesterol. The old tests that were used to determine that shellfish was high in cholesterol were inaccurate. Shellfish may actually contribute to healthy cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that eating a heart healthy diet with both shrimp and lobster, in moderation, can help lower cholesterol.
The truth is that shellfish such as shrimp lobster or oysters are very low in saturated fat and moderate in cholesterol content. Clams, lobster, mussels and crab contain relatively little cholesterol. Even shrimp is not considered worrisome any more.
For all sea food lovers, this is good news considering the fact that even your physician at times bars you from eating shellfish due to the cholesterol content. You can eat shellfish as long as you eat a low or moderate serving size.
In its recommendations, the American Heart Association advises that an adult should not eat more than 60-70 grams of total fat per day. Small quantity of shellfish can easily fit into that limit. However, you should not consistently eat more than the recommended serving size. If your diet already includes high amount of saturated fat, then keep away from shellfish as you may exceed the recommended dietary intake of fat.
If you do wish to have shellfish, make sure that it is steamed, grilled, roasted or at the most sautéed and never deep fried.
Remember this advice next time you feel like eating any kind of healthy fish. Moderation is the key.
Fish isn’t a part of my diet but I was eating it a few years ago and my family still does. One of the reasons I stopped eating it is was because of the high mercury and other pollutants. Tuna fish in a can is a double whammy because of the BPA that your body absorbs.
For those with a fat pocketbook and looking for the healthiest fish your money can buy, I’d look into Vital Choice Salmon from Alaska. It is the safest fish I’ve ever seen offered. My family hasn’t tried it but it’s on our list. It’s said to have no more than .1 ppm of Mercury – good luck beating that.
Eat well!
David, thank you for sharing your thoughts. Great advise.
John
Great post, I would like to make a suggestion for those of us who are vegetarian. The re has been a lot of talk about the benefit of fish oils but what are the substitutes for the veggie (non meat eaters). I would like to suggest flax seed oil and or flax seeds. As well as other nuts and seeds such as walnuts and hemp. In addition, green foods or supplements such as Spirulina and Chlorella (also provide numerous health benefits). Well there is a lot of scientific research out there – I am not going to get into the whole debate and claims about how these foods provide the Omega 3’s essential for our health. So do your research and read some of the articles online.
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/88/3/801
Also, there are other foods you can consume that will give you Omega 3’s – similar to what is found in fish oil. I recommend this post from Marks Daily Apple –
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/omega-3-fish-oil-food-quantities/
Jai,
Thanks for sharing these information – certainly useful links for those who are vegetarian.
John