Fish Is Good; Mercury Is Bad

Posted by Susan - 03/18/09 at 10:03:29 am

There has been lots of great discussion on the Gyminee message boards recently about the importance of fish consumption and sources of inexpensive, quality protein.  No big surprise that canned tuna, a long-time staple in the American diet, comes to mind in both instances.

At first glance, canned tuna appears to be an ideal source of protein. A 5 oz can of Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore Tuna In Water will cost you around $1.99 and contains:

175 calories, 2.5 g fat, 0 carbs, 37.5 g protein

However, it’s important to note that The Environmental Defense Fund has issued a health advisory for longline-caught albacore tuna (the kind used in most canned tuna) due to elevated levels of mercury. The EDF recommends that adult men and women limit their consumption of canned, albacore tuna to no more than 3 meals per month (a “meal” is defined as 6 oz).

The EDF also points out that fish is generally healthy to eat, but you should limit the consumption of certain types of fish. You can access a chart here that lists the most contaminated fish, and how much can safely be eaten each month (assuming no other contaminated fish is consumed). The advice is based on EPA guidance and the latest mercury and PCB data.

You may notice what is referred to as “light tuna”.  Canned light tuna is a safer option as Skipjack, which accounts for most canned light tuna, doesn’t grow nearly as large as albacore, so it has approximately one-third the mercury levels.

My Two Cents

As I have mentioned on the message boards, it is never to difficult to find an “expert” to support your side of any argument.  With that said, I don’t believe you would easily find a source that would deem mercury to be non-toxic.  Methylmercury is the most toxic form of mercury.  It enters the body through ingestion, and it is absorbed more readily and excreted more slowly than other forms of mercury.  This is the type of mercury found in certain types of fish, including tuna.

However, all this talk about mercury poisoning should not turn you away from eating fish, which is an excellent source of heart healthy Omega-3 fats and an excellent source of protein!  Not all fish contain toxic levels of methylmercury.

You can still have a can of tuna a couple of times each month, but you also want to make certain to incorporate fish into your diet that are low in toxins. Domestic (US) shrimp, wild salmon, Pacific flounder, rainbow trout and tilapia can be eaten several times each week.

While a bit more expensive than canned tuna, I love wild, canned salmon - which doesn’t need any mayo to taste good! You can literally eat it right out of the can, although salmon cakes are another tasty treat.

Train hard; stay strong.

Susan

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