Eat fish, or not?? hmmmm. well.....is it tasty?

I ate a lot of fish growing up. Fish was always a part our family diet, as they were readily available and relatively cheaper on coastal India where I grew up. In the book Survival of the Fattest, published in 2005, Dr. Cunnane speculates that it was the rich and secure shore-based diet (FISHYYYY!!) that fuelled and provided the essential nutrients to make our brains what they are today. This ‘Canada Research Chair in Brain Metabolism and Aging’ argues that shorelines provided essential brain boosting nutrients and minerals that launched Homo sapiens brains past their primate peers. Thus, the new age brain memory tablets you buy at the grocery store bear the name various fishes.

Then why warn nursing women, women who may become pregnant, and young children  against fish? Heavy metal poisoning………

For eg. Mercury poisoning.

Fish pick up methylmercury, a form of the element that binds to the protein in their bodies, from microorganisms in oceans and lakes. As big fish eat little fish, they absorb the methylmercury in their prey. Thus big, old fish such as swordfish, shark, and tuna carry more of the metal than salmon and shrimp. The Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) published a list of heavy metal levels in fish, with the highest levels found in grouper, marlin, tilefish, swordfish and shark. The NRDC claims carp, mahi mahi, monkfish, skate and cod have lower levels of mercury, and that the lowest levels are found in butterfish, calamari, pollock, catfish, sole and talapia. Which makes sense, the lower level of food chain the fish belongs the less accumulation of heavy metals.

I think if you eat a large predatory fish eat it with a high fat diet. The heavy metals are stored in the body fat of humans. High fat diet will induce more bile secretion and will help in the excretion of any heavy metal.

Subsistence fishing

My family have a history of heart diseases and when it comes to a healthier heart, the benefits of eating fish usually outweigh the possible risks of exposure to contaminants. It’s been long recognized that the unsaturated fats in fish, called omega-3 fatty acids, appear to reduce the risk of dying of heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids may decrease triglycerides, lower blood pressure, reduce blood clotting, boost immunity and improve arthritis symptoms, and in children may improve learning ability. Later I learned not all fish have healthy fatty acids. Tilapia and catfish supposedly have bad fatty acids. Who knew……

Just over 100 million tonnes of fish are eaten world-wide each year, providing two and a half billion people with at least 20 percent of their average per capita animal protein intake (FAO expert, Ichiro Nomura). Thus it is not bad idea to eat FISHhhhhh…….

What and how much fish should I eat

- At least two servings of omega-3-rich fish a week

-Eat smaller/ younger fish

- Fresh water fish like salmon (spends most time in freshwater) is a great option.

-Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, breast feeding woman eat healthy fish in moderate quantity.