Good Fish Bad Fish?

By now, you're likely well aware that fish is pretty darn good for you. Research shows that it helps us fend off heart disease and depression and is even great for your skin and hair. But recent news may have you thinking something smells fishy. Some fish are drowning in toxic chemicals while others are being loved to death. So what's one to do? Keep eating fish! Loaded with healthy nutrients, fish can play a significant role in most well balanced diets, as long as you know how to reel in the right kind. Here's the bottom line on the healthy virtues of fish and some of the dangers you should know before casting your line at the grocery store.

Fish is Protein Rich

Just four ounces of salmon delivers 25 grams of very high quality protein. What's more, fish's favorable levels of all the essential amino acids makes it especially useful in repairing and building lean body mass.

The Fattier, the Better

When it comes to beef, chicken and pork, you're told to cut the fat. Well, throw out that advice for fish because the fattier, the better. Fatty cold water fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, trout and mackerel are the only reliable dietary sources of two potent omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosohexanoic acid (DHA), which have a broad range of health benefits that include the following:

• Higher intakes of fish oil have been shown to reduce blood triglyceride levels. High blood triglycerides are a greater risk factor for heart disease than elevated cholesterol levels.
   
• Omega-3 fats are involved in pathways that reduce the production of inflammatory substances. This means that a diet high in EPA and DHA could reduce inflammation-induced muscle pain associated with killer workouts as well as pain associated with arthritis.
   
• Because DHA is the predominant fat found in the brain, it's not surprising that studies have found that higher intakes of fish fat are associated with better mood, fewer episodes of depression and improved fetal brain development.

Fish is Nutrient Dense

Even though the omega-3s and protein get all the accolades when it comes to seafood, there's other stuff under those gills that'll keep you healthy and out of the doctor's office. The iron in fish helps carry oxygen to your working muscles. Their B vitamins play a central role in energy metabolism, and the vitamin D found in the fat of fatty fish like salmon is a potential cancer fighter. And consider eating those bones (they are softened during processing) in canned sardines, salmon and mackerel as they are a good source of bone-building calcium. Fish contains the antioxidants vitamin E and selenium, which fight off foreign invaders called free radicals that are known to promote diseases such as diabetes, cancer and arteriosclerosis.

However, there are some serious concerns regarding our fish supply. As a result of our haphazard treatment of the environment, many of the fish in our oceans, lakes and rivers are contaminated and, if not contaminated, are being over fished to the point of potential extinction. Fish farming, mercury emissions and intensive commercial fishing are taking a serious toll.

There are also fishing methods such as dredging (bottom trawling) that destroy fish habitat, thereby decreasing the ability of the ocean to produce fish. Catching shrimp in trawl nets can kill up to 10 pounds of other ocean life for each pound of shrimp caught.
In summary, the biggest threats to our fish supply are:

• Commercial over fishing
• Destructive, out dated fishing methods
• Environmentally damaging fish farming operations
• Toxins (i.e., mercury, pesticides) released into the environment
• Poor use of rivers (i.e., dams, irrigation)
• Consumers making poor fish choices

The Fish Farming Problem

• Potential for escape and the resulting effect on wild populations
• Increased levels of contaminants found in farmed salmon
• Spreading of diseases to wild salmon populations
• Pollution from the extreme amount of waste produced from the pens
• The use of artificial colors to make the salmon a desired pink color
• The use of antibiotics

Seafood Shopping List
Use this list to help steer you away from species that are high in toxins or are being over fished.

Green Light Fish - These fish have low toxin levels and are harvested in an environmentally sustainable manner. Examples of these fish include the following:

• Wild Alaskan Salmon (fresh/frozen/canned), Sardines, Oysters (Farmed), Catfish (U.S. Farmed), Tilapia (U.S. Farmed), Trout (Farmed), Arctic Char, Pacific Halibut, Mussels (Farmed), Atlantic Mackerel, Shrimp (U.S. Farmed), Striped Bass (U.S. Farmed), Herring, Sablefish, Pollock, Anchovies, Bay Scallops, Clams (Farmed)

Yellow Light Fish - Limit your consumption to a couple times per month as these fish may have elevated toxins or in danger of being over fished. Examples of these fish include the following:

• Canned Chunk Light Tuna*, Yellowfin/Albacore Tuna*+, Lobster+, King/Snow Crabs+, Squid+, Pacific Sole+, Mahi-mahi*, King Crab+, Sea Scallops+

Red Light Fish - When possible, avoid these fish. They have high toxin levels and/or are harvested in environmentally damaging ways. Examples of these fish include the following:

• Farmed Atlantic Salmon*+, Shark*+, Grouper*+, Orange Roughy*+, Chilean Seabass*+, Marlin*+, Swordfish*, imported)*+, Bluefin Tuna*+, Atlantic Cod+, Imported Shrimp+, Pacific Rockfish*+, Atlantic Halibut+, Red Snapper*+, King Mackerel*, Atlantic Sole/Flounder+, Wild Caviar+, Monkfish+, Tilefish*+, Skate+

* Fish that are high in contaminants.
+Fish that are being over fished or poorly harvested.
*+ Fish that are high in contaminants and over fished.

I hope the article on good fish choices was informative and not too long! For more information visit Oceans Alive website.

Sincerely,

Eva Rosvold
Fundamental Fitness

P.S. Scotland was beautiful as you can see from the photos to the left.