The Mercury Levels are Fishy!

awareness, consciousness, Diet, Health coach, Holistic Health, Integrative Medicine, Lifestyle, self-healing, Wellness 1 Minute

I am a fish lover so this is a shout out to all my pescaterians out there, this one is for you!!! I love the ocean for its abysmal vastness, majestic marine beauty and I am so grateful for the food it provides us with. Lets just take a minute to appreciate our oceans!

Generations of earth abuse has finally caught up to us, waste and coal burning has contributed to atmospheric pollution, leading to high levels of mercury releasing into the air. With rain, this mercury is deposited in the ocean and bioaccummulates into our fish supply, meaning it is absorbed through their gills and stored in their tissues and muscles. Once mercury comes in contact with water, it is converted to methylmercury which is extremely toxic to humans, so try to avoid it if you can because it stores in the adipose tissue (fat) in us as well.

I am here to share with you for those who do not know, the kinds of fish with the most and least amounts of mercury so you can eat consciously and treat your body with the care it deserves!

General rule of thumb to follow is that the biggest fish have the highest levels of mercury because they eat the small fish, so go small! The following list contains the least amounts of mercury so eat them to your heart’s content!

  • Haddock
  • Salmon – high in the healthy fat, omega 3!!!
  • Flounder
  • Catfish
  • Anchovies
  • Clams
  • Crawfish
  • Crab
  • Oysters
  • Herring
  • Sardines
  • Scallops
  • Shrimp
  • Sole
  • Trout
  • Whitefish
  • Tilapia – make sure it is wild caught NOT FARMED!

The following list has mild to moderate amounts of mercury, eat under 6 servings a month.

  • Alaskan Cod
  • Halibut
  • Snapper
  • Mahi Mahi
  • Monkfish
  • Carp
  • Lobster

Finally AVOID THE FOLLOWING due to HIGH mercury levels!!!!

  • King Mackerel
  • Shark
  • Swordfish
  • Tuna
  • Marlin
  • Grouper
  • Bluefish
  • Croaker
  • Orange Roughy
  • Chilean Seabass
  • Perch
  • Tilefish

I usually eat salmon and wild caught Atlantic cod and they are very simple to cook! I’ll season it with garlic, salt, pepper, fresh herbs, chili peppers from my garden, and bake or broil it for 20 minutes (picture included)! I use a different combination of fresh herbs including rosemary, oregano, thyme, parsley, dill, and chives depending on how far I want to venture out into the garden that night!

Published by Megan Nayak

I'm a small gal with a big heart wanting to change the world one individual at a time. With a Bachelors of Science in Biology from Nova Southeastern University, my innate calling is health and everything related to it. Since I was a young girl I have always wanted to be some kind of healthcare professional and now I get to begin my holistic journey to self healing.

Published

2 thoughts on “The Mercury Levels are Fishy!”

  1. Pingback: What Is Leaky Gut? – Health Energy

  2. The U.S. FDA highly recommends against pregnant woman and young children consuming raw fish. Pregnant women and young children often lack strong immune systems and are more at risk for foodborne illnesses. In the United States, the EPA serves as an advisory organ to set the levels of mercury that are non-fatal in humans. Symptoms of exposure to high levels of methyl mercury include disturbed vision, hearing, and speech, lack of coordination, and muscle weakness. Medical studies have examined the correlation of fish consumption and health issues. American studies have presented evidence of fish consumption and its effects on child development. Longitudinal studies agree that human activities are what release and accumulate mercury in marine life .

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment