The Rule of Six Fish: 6 to Eat and 6 to Avoid
by Cindy Collins, PhD, RD
Fish, being a very healthy source of omega 3 fatty acids as well as very fresh and plentiful in South Florida is on most of our shopping lists. But, while fish is being promoted as a healthy, anticancer food, we are also aware of warnings – for ourselves and for the planet. The concern for our health involves the risk of mercury in fish that presents known harm to our bodies. The concern for the planet involves the risk of over-fishing, which presents harm to the fish population and its future availability.
Seafood Watch, run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium has combined data to produce the “Super Green: Best of the Best” seafood list – the seafood good for you and good for the planet. Fish on the list meet the following three criteria: 1) less than 216 parts per billion mercury and less than 11 parts per billion PCBs; 2) high in omega 3 fatty acids; and, 3) obtained from sustainable fisheries.
Here is the list:
• Troll or pole-caught albacore (from US or British Columbia)
• Wild-caught Salmon (from Alaska)
• Farmed oysters
• Wild-caught sardines (Pacific)
• Farmed Rainbow trout
• Freshwater Coho Salmon (farmed in US tank systems)
Fish to Avoid: these fish may be on the endangered list or may contain high levels of mercury or PCBs
• Bluefin tuna
• Chilean sea bass (adults eat 2 times per month max; children 1 time per month)
• Grouper
• Monkfish
• Orange Roughy
• Farmed salmon
For more information see:
www.seafoodwatch.org
www.blueocean.org
www.edf.org
