Fish Consumption: Some Safety Issues

[Innocent chinenye]

Fish consumption is heart-healthy and provides an excellent source of protein. But there are certain associated risks. One of these is the fact that fish may contain mercury, which is a well-known toxin. When consumed in excess, mercury can cause damage to brain and nervous system causing prickly sensations with various additional problems with fine muscular coordination, speech, sleep, and walking. At highest risk are pregnant women and young children.

Unfortunately, many fish species do contain mercury, which is consumed from plants and tiny animals.

[EllieA]

I think fish is an amazing, delicious, healthy food, but figuring out what to buy can be a real headache.

I feel like there are a lot of resources available to learn what fish/ how much to eat to curb mercury amounts. Honestly, I am more concerned about the other toxins in fish that are less concretely tied to particular species. For example, the claim that you shouldn't eat tilapia from China because the farms they are raised in contain a lot of toxins that get into the fish. But what does that mean about tilapia in general? Are all farmed tilapia raised in similarly poor conditions? What about wild-harvest? Is it sustainably done and a better alternative?

And what about the ethics of eating animals, whether based on ideas of life or environmentalism? But there are well-substantiated claims that some mollusks provide extremely environmentally friendly protein. And also things like oysters have no central nervous system, so isn't that "better" than eating a chicken? But they also filter the ocean of toxins, so how "clean" does that make them to eat?

I have also read that it's important to eat a variety of types of fish, and I know that I should be searching out sustainably harvested fish, and smaller fish are less likely to contain mercury, and it's important to still eat salmon because it's so good for us, and fish harvested from (insert region) may have higher levels of radiation/crude oil pollution/ etc, and be careful about getting fish from (insert other region) because the labor isn't paid/ they pirate no-fish zones/ etc. It can get really frustrating trying to figure out what is really ok to eat.

And yet, here I am, off to finish making cajun-spiced cod for dinner. Alas.

[[Valerie Allen]]

Thank you for the safety alert as I've often heard.

[revna01]

I just recently learned about the high levels of mercury in tuna! I think it's frightening that kiddos get fed that often, and what about fish sticks? This should be more widely known.

[crediblereading2]

This is why it is important for us to be balanced in whatever we do.

[nikkyteewhy]

I've heard about the mercury content in most fish too. This is so sad because I really love fishes. But I also love me some turkey and mutton meats. The most important thing is for us to be careful with what we put inside us. Thank you so much for this information.

[thaservices1]

Besides mercury, fish and shellfish contain high levels of cadmium as well, another overlooked toxic heavy metal with no regulatory controls. And let's not forget our Pacific fish are nicely irradiated these days. The mercury warnings in tuna for pregnant women have been around for years, close to twenty now I believe. I had a friend who sickened from a bad oyster served in a resturant 15 years ago and never recovered, massive health problems and death before 50. I have people praise eating fishes at me all the time followed by a list of their health problems. I avoid all seafood and farmed fish.

[mamilla93]

I dont know, I really love fish and it is better alternative to meat anyways. I eat wild caught fish like Salmon and locally sourced fish from reliable sources.

[eastandalchemy]

I live in the Azores Islands in the middle of the Atlantic, where fish is plentiful and consumed at nearly every meal. It's a lot of large fish like swordfish, tuna, grouper, octopus, and others that are very high in mercury, and I often wonder exactly how much mercury is "healthy" for humans to consume over a long period of time.

[Nisha Ward]

I think we should eat things in moderation. If I recall correctly, fish has vitamin D, which isn't naturally produced in humans or found in a lot of things. The problem also lies in how it's obtained and where. I don't think there's an easy solution to this, but the most immediate thing that comes to mind is to pay attention to how and where you get it from.

[Florence Nalianya]

When fish is fresh and am sudden of its source, I just eat and let God take care of me where I have no authority.

[Wanja Hannah]

I love sea foods and fish is no exception. I like them fresh from the lake and I have never considered the impurities that may be contained. There are fish that are farmed in private pods and they taste great. My only worry when taking fish are the shape bones and nothing more.

[Corina Elena]

Please, watch Mission Blue, on Netflix.

[Amy Murdoch Coleman]

Yeah, I learned about the mercury levels in fish when I got pregnant the first time. The doctor gave me a list of foods to stay away from and I was shocked at the fish that are considered unsafe to eat during pregnancy.

[Honest-reviewer]

Fish is healthy no doubt. But I don’t prefer it. I don’t like its smell and the texture.
I think one should be careful about the bone getting stuck in the throat. So eat it carefully.