Lovers of fish and shellfish…beware!

Nowadays, a lot of people are trying to be healthy; everyone is trying to eat more fish. They do so either by following the Mediterranean diet (which recommends consumption of fish and shellfish) or by avoiding eating meat. I agree fish and shellfish are important part of a healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients; they are low in saturated fat and contain omega-3 fatty acids. Thus, a well balanced diet should include a variety of fish and shellfish for it can contribute to proper growth and development and have many nutritional benefits for all population-age.

However, often times, people are unaware of the health risks or effects that encompass consumption of fish and shellfish. Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. Individual ,such as I (hihi), don’t really think about the high concentration of mercury in their seafood. Well, I have read from the FDA that some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child or pregnant women’s developing nervous system. Knowing that some fish and shellfish may have detrimental effect to the body, I believe that it indeed becomes important to bring awareness to individuals about the presence of mercury in fish when preparing our meals or when consuming or even buying fish. It is also important to follow some recommendations posted by agencies website such as the CDC,FDA…

Here are some tips to decrease exposure to harmful effects of mercury. Try not to eat too much shark, swordfish, tilefish .Eat seafood that are low in mercury such as shrimp, canned light tuna and try not to eat more than 12 ounces a week of variety of fish and shellfish. I know I have not post about how to properly choose fish but it is as important as the presence of mercury so please take a look at this video of fish safety.