PSA: Fish, Mercury & Safety

[megumic]

Now that summer is just around the corner, my seafood cravings have sky-rocketed. I''ve made several fish dishes in the past few days and it got me thinking about mercury levels and which fish are most safe to eat. So, I did some research and wanted to share what I''ve found.

The most shocking thing I learned is how little tuna we can safely eat. A 130 lb person can safely eat one can of white albacore tuna every 10 days, but not more frequently. I''ve definitely over-mercuried myself in the past, eating up to two cans per week! (Okay, you got me, I was on a protein kick.)

Something I never thought about was the impact the fish I eat have on the environment. The guide provided by the Natural Resources Defense Counsel indicates which fish are reaching dangerously low numbers in the wild or are caught using environmentally destructive methods.

Here''s a mercury guide listing which types of seafood fall into certain mercury levels: http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/guide.asp

Sushi eaters - here''s a mercury guide specifically for sushi fish: http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/mercury/sushi.asp

Help keep yourself and your family safe by knowing the amount of mercury in your seafood!

Also, please share any yummy fish recipes you''ve got on file!

 

[megumic]

bump.

Am I the only one who eats fish around here???

 

[Amanda.Rx]

I read your post earlier! I have to admit, I was a little bummed out about it. I LOVE fish & sushi! I''ve always heard of the mercury thing, but I guess I never really stopped to think about it. I should probably cool it on the albacore tuna. I''ve always just payed more attention to the health benefits. From one article I read, eating fish 2-3 times a week can reduce your risk of heart disease & stroke by about 15%. Plus, I''m not a big fan of red meats or beef on a regular basis, so fish is a nice way to add some variety (instead of the usual chicken, turkey, pork chop).

I was trying to find a great fish recipe for you that I made the other week. Unfortunately, food network''s site is being finicky, so I can''t find it! I''ll try to keep looking. Anyways- it''s a cod (I think) in a charmoulad sauce. It''s delicious and totally worth repeating!

 

[Amanda.Rx]

And here''s a post by the EPA (environmental protection agency)

By following these three recommendations for selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their exposure to the harmful effects of mercury.

1. Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.
2. Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
* Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.
* Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
3. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don''t consume any other fish during that week.

Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to your young child, but serve smaller portions.

Here''s the link to the site EPA link on Fish & Mercury
The information made me a little less