Choosing Safe "Clean" Fish
We are routinely recommended to eat more fish because of the healthy omega 3 fatty acids which are beneficial because they help reduce the inflammatory process that leads to many chronic conditions such as cancers, asthma, depression, cardiovascular disease, ADHD, and autoimmune diseases, and rheumatoid arthritis and improve cognitive ability. In addition to this, fish is high in protein, vitamins, and minerals and low in saturated fat.
But there are several important things to understand beyond this.
For one, there are "clean" fish - healthy to eat, and "unclean" - unhealthy scavengers with poor digestive systems.
Two, there is a very significant difference in wild caught compared to farm raised/stock fish.
Three, certain fish, due to lifespans, growth patterns, and migration routes can accumulate more toxins, such as mercury, than smaller fish with shorter lifespans.
And then there's environmental hazards in certain areas that would make the fish unfit for consumption. Some of these consequences last years, such as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, that occurred in 2011.
In April 2014, studies confirmed the presence of radioactive tuna off the coasts of the pacific U.S.
On 10 September 2015, floodwaters driven by Typhoon Etau prompted mass evacuations in Japan and overwhelmed the drainage pumps at the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant.
A TEPCO spokesperson said that hundreds of metric tons of radioactive water had entered the ocean as a result. Plastic bags filled with contaminated soil and grass were also swept away by the flood waters.
As of June 2016, dispersed nuclear fallout and associated radiation contamination continue to pollute the environment.
Tilman Ruff, a professor at the University of Melbourne, stated that every day 300 tons of contaminated water leak from the crippled nuclear plant.
Ecological diversity has decreased and malformations have been found in trees, birds, and mammals.
In February 2017, six years after the disaster, radiation levels inside the Unit 2 containment building were crudely estimated to be 80 Sv/h. These readings were the highest recorded since the disaster occurred in 2011 and the first recorded in that area of the reactor since the meltdowns. Images showed a hole in the metal grating beneath the reactor pressure vessel, suggesting that melted nuclear fuel had escaped the vessel in that area.
So, that means the Pacific ocean has greatly been affected by this disaster well beyond the original year of 2011. It's still going on.....
"These shall ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, them shall ye eat. And all that have not fins and scales in the seas, and in the rivers, of all that move in the waters, and of any living thing which is in the waters, they shall be an abomination unto you." Leviticus 11 : 9 - 10
Shellfish, sharks, swordfish, catfish, squid, etc. fall into this category.
The biological facts are a testament to support this command, that these are "unclean" and not safe to consume.
Farmed/Stocked Fish
A 2003 report from the Environmental Working Group showed that farmed salmon in the U.S. has the highest levels of PCBs, toxic man-made chemicals.
A 2004 study found the levels of PCBs, a potentially carcinogenic chemical, to be ten times higher in farmed fish than in wild caught fish. These chemicals can change the way your genes operate, leading to diabetes, obesity, cancer and reproductive problems and suppressing the thyroid hormones.
Pollution (fish excrement and uneaten feed) occurs regularly under the overcrowded net pens in a holding area, which contributes to disease, lice, and pest. These are addressed by giving repeated doses of antibiotics. Researchers from the George Mateljan Foundation state that a good sized salmon farm produces an amount of excrement equivalent to the sewage of a city of 10,000 people.
Pesticides are also given to try and combat sea lice.
In the wild, salmon dine on krill. These shrimp are packed with astaxanthin – a powerful antioxidant. This is the nutrient responsible for orange color of wild salmon.
But without the krill in their diet, farmed salmon are an unappetizing gray color.
Canthaxanthin is a synthetic pigment that is used to add a pink color to farm raised salmon. Studies have found that canthaxanthin can affect pigments in the retina of the eye,leading to a ban of its use in the UK — but not the U.S. Farm raised fish consume a contaminant-rich fish meal – a processed mixture made from ground fish parts, corn, soy and other grains.
In other words - cheap GMO's with pesticides.
Mary Ellen Camire, professor of food science and human nutrition at the University of Maine’s School of Food and Agriculture, as well as, president at the Institute of Food Technologists, states that more than 50 percent of all seafood produced for human consumption is farm raised, and this number is only expected to increase. By 2030 the World Bank estimates that nearly two-thirds of seafood will be farm raised.
China produces nearly 80% of the world supply of farmed seafood. A report by Food & Water Watch, showed that in 2006 the FDA agency visually inspected less than 2% of the 860,000 imported seafood shipments. Less than 1% were actually tested for contaminants.
The FDA doesn't have your interests at heart.
The larger a fish grows, the more contaminants it will contain.
Here are lists of "clean" fish with the level of mercury contamination:
High: Tuna, Seabass, Orange Roughy, Salmon, Mackerel, Bluefish
Medium: Bass, Cod, Halibut, Perch (fresh water), Snapper, Sea Trout
Low: Arctic Cod, Anchovies, Flounder, Haddock, Herring, Sole,
Whitefish, Perch (ocean), Sardine, Shad, Tilapia
Some researchers will tell you that the benefits out weigh the risks involved in eating contaminated fish. I totally disagree!
My family and I do not eat much fish. When we do, it's always wild caught and since 2011, I have either bought fish that is from the Atlantic, usually up
near Norway. If I know the fish is tested for contaminants , then I will buy some from the Pacific.
As much as Whole Foods can be a thorn at times with prices, I do depend on them for fish, as they do the testing and have the higher standards.
It is not worth eating cheap fish. It would be better to not eat fish at all.
Also, I advocate eating fish grilled, broiled, or baked - not breaded and fried.
So, I have not eaten Tuna for over 20 years. But recently, a representative for a company called Wild Planet spoke with me all about their protocols and I was convinced to try out their Tuna.
They use only pole and line caught tuna, which are the younger and smaller migratory tuna and they do testing for mercury levels. Their test rate results (by a third party) are 4 times lower than the FDA standards on Albacore and 13 times lower on Skipjack (fast growing, shorter lived).
Controlling mercury levels is accomplished by catching younger, smaller fish.
Just a note: all pole and line albacore tuna are purchased from the exact same albacore fisheries, regardless of brand.
This was a big step for me, as I am very cautious.
Caution: Be very wary about any companies claiming to have a proprietary nearly instant read testing technology. The "gold standard" of methylmercury testing is a "Cold Vapor" process. This involves heating the material to 600 degrees Fahrenheit to create a vapor that is later tested. This can take 2 days to complete in a laboratory.
Elemental mercury (Hg) can be quickly tested, BUT it is specifically methylmercury (MeHg) that is the concern in ocean fish.
Warning: The sushi craze that hit the market a while back is very dangerous to indulge in. It's a very easy way to acquire parasites and bring detrimental harm to you.
Another common problem with it is that the fish claiming to be used is often a fraud. Do you really know what you are consuming?
Those important essential omega 3 fatty acids, protein, and nutrients can be obtained by eating Chia seeds or freshly ground flaxseed. They can easily be incorporated daily, into one's diet.
I hope this was beneficial to you. My goal is to help provide the information that you need to make wise lifestyle choices.
Ramona