What fish to eat?

Fishes that we must absolutely avoid eating are rivers fishes (carp, trout, etc ...). They can contain heavy metals, but also other toxic rejected by plants in the water. Fishes again that live on sea shores as bluefin tuna or farmed fish also absorb toxic stagnant in the sea, but the entire ocean contains methylmercury that fishes accumulate in their bodies, especially when they live long or feed on other fishes.

Fish is rich in Omega 3 and does not contain bad fats, it is good for health but that does not stop it to be fat and provide calories. It is part of a recommended diet for longevity, replacing red or white meat.
But if it contains too much mercury it is especially harmful to pregnant women as it affects the fetus developing. A study by the University of Ulster, however, concluded that fish is good for the brain development of the fetus. Just avoid those that contain the most mercury.

UN experts advise against eating more than two servings per week of farmed salmon due to toxic concentrations they contain. Indeed they are fed from other fishes, already polluted themselves and they accumulate during their development these harmful products. But farmed fish can be consumed safely when they come from organic farming, in which case they have the USDA CPB label.

Small fish such as sardine feeding on plankton is less harmful than those at the end of the food chain, such as tuna, sea bream and other predators.

Fatty fish and lean fish

The leaner and less toxic are:

• Sole.
• Bar.
• Turbot.
• Skate.

Fatty fish are also good for your health:

• Mackerel.
• Sardine.
• Herring.
• Wild salmon.

These fish contain less bad fat than red and white meat, and even this fat is actually related to the intake of Omega 3 which counteracts its harmfulness.

For sushi, as they are prepared from a mixture of fishes, and we do not know which enter into their composition (often fish at the end of the food chain such as dogfish, so the most polluted), it seems preferable to avoid to consume them regularly. Especially if they are eaten raw as they can also harbor parasites.

What is said about fish can also be applied to crustaceans, unless they come from an organic livestock or a far away country untouched by pollution.

Conclusion

All fishes contain some heavy metals and it is not appropriate to eat every day. They are not recommended for pregnant women. As meat is also not recommended for its contributions in bad fat, the ideal for a long and healthy live is to practice a vegetarian diet instead, like that is practiced on the island of Ikaria or Okinawa!