I try to eat exclusively plant foods, but I can’t refuse fish and seafood. I love them very much, and therefore I am offended and scared to read about the fact that in reality fish can be not only not useful, but also extremely dangerous. To reduce the health risks that can arise from eating fish and seafood, there are a few rules to follow.
1. Avoid farmed fish. There are several reasons. Firstly, such a fish grows in habitats that are not natural for it, it moves little, and therefore the fat formed in it is absolutely useless. Second, farmers typically use antibiotics to prevent disease and fight parasites, and hormones to boost growth. And thirdly, the food for these fish contains substances hazardous to human health (for example, pesticides). All these wonderful additives enter our body along with grilled salmon steak or dorada ((((
2. Unfortunately, with wild fish, too, not everything is in order. Today the oceans and seas are extremely polluted and radioactive, and fish absorb toxic and radioactive substances that are dangerous to human health. Most of them accumulate in large fish. Such hazardous substances include heavy metals and mercury. Mercury is a neurotoxin that causes people to lose memory, vision, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Doctors strongly recommend that pregnant women exclude products containing mercury, as it causes mental retardation, deafness, blindness and cerebral palsy in children.
Here is a list of fish that should be avoided altogether, as they contain the highest concentration of mercury: marlin, tile, swordfish (my husband’s weakness, which caused high levels of mercury in his body), shark, king mackerel, bigeye tuna and yellowfin tuna.
And this fish is recommended to be consumed no more than once a month, the maximum portion is 180 grams: Chilean sea bass, bluefish, sea bass, Spanish mackerel, yellowtail tuna.
Fish from the following list can also be eaten in small portions no more than 6 times a month: striped bass and black perch, carp, Pacific cod, white croaker, Pacific and Atlantic halibut, lobster, dorado, monkfish, freshwater perch, coal fish, stingray, snapper, gray croaker, striped tuna.
Finally, it is recommended to eat fish from this list no more than twice a week (a portion of 180 grams): anchovy, butterfish, catfish, bivalve molluscs, crabs, crayfish, croaker, haddock, hake, herring, Atlantic mackerel and Japanese mackerel, mullet, oysters, river and sea flounder, salmon, sardines, scallops, shrimps, sole, squid, telapia, freshwater trout, “white” fish, hake.
3. When cooking fish, keep in mind that toxic substances are mainly found in fat, and it is better to choose cooking methods that involve melting the fat, such as grilling.
4. Avoid canned fish and any industrially processed fish. I hope there is no need to explain why)))
5. I am also often asked about sushi, because there is an opinion that it is a very healthy food. However, in light of the above, it is clear that this is not the case. And one more thing: the combination of fish and rice (especially processed white rice) is very bad for digestion, so sushi or rolls are the wrong choice in a Japanese restaurant. It is better to choose sashimi – if you are not afraid of radiation and mercury))).
Sources:
US Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/all-about-animals/aquaculture.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_farming
http://www.peta.org/issues/animals-used-for-food/aquafarming.aspx