The Best & Worst Fish to Eat

According to studies in the NeuroToxicology, Journal of Pediatrics, and Environmental Research human exposure to mercury is mostly through seafood consumption, and this exposure has been found to cause adverse neurodevelopment, cardiovascular, and immunological health effects in sufficient doses.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) recommends pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant should avoid eating fish highest in mercury at 500 ppb and over. Personally, I believe this should also be for the general public even though the FDA guidelines limit 1,000 parts per. The FDA recommends a 12 ounce guideline for weekly intake of all fish.

According to WebMD the effective dosage range of Omega 3 is 250-500mg for healthy adults & higher dosages for depression, heart health, anxiety, and cancer.

Let’s look at some determining factors of what is considered the best fish using the USDA Nutrient Database, which include:

• Lean protein (building blocks of cells)

• Omega 3 content (help fight against heart disease, diabetes, inflammation)

• Calories

• Fat

• Mercury Content

Some of the worst fish according to the above guidelines include:

Swordfish - 893 ppb Mercury & 641 mg Omega 3

Tilefish - 883 ppb Mercury & 365 mg Omega 3

Shark - 882 ppb Mercury & 717 mg Omega 3

Grouper - 417 ppb Mercury & 210 mg Omega 3

Yellow Fin - 270 ppb Mercury & 85 mg Omega 3

Tilapia - 19 ppb Mercury & 77 mg Omega 3

Farm Raised Catfish - 417 12 Mercury & 62mg Omega 3

Some of the healthiest fish according to the above guidelines include:

Atlantic Mackerel - 45 ppb Mercury & 1954mg Omega 3

European Anchovy - 45 ppb Mercury & 1231 mg Omega 3

Canned Sardines In oil - 45 ppb Mercury & 835 mg Omega 3

Sockeye Salmon - 45 ppb Mercury & 613 mg Omega 3

Pink Salmon 45 ppb Mercury & 438 mg Omega 3

Pacific Atlantic Halibut - 45 ppb Mercury & 396 mg Omega 3

Spiny Lobster - 45 ppb Mercury & 317 mg Omega 3

Flounder & Sole - 45 ppb Mercury & 208mg Omega 3

To ensure you benefit the most from fish consumption, when purchasing, select wild-caught fish over farm raised as wild-caught are cleaner, with less exposure to contaminants, and more nutrient dense to to it's natural diet.

Sources:

WebMD, FDA, Eat This Not That