Something’s fishy

How safe is today’s catch?

There’s no denying that fish is packed with essential nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, iron, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and phosphorus, which protect the heart and are needed for healthy growth and development. But for some people, this source of lean protein may harm their health if eaten too often. The reason? Increasing levels of mercury are being found in more and more seafood.

Nearly all fish contain some traces of mercury, a type of metal that can be toxic if consumed at high levels. Mercury is a natural part of the environment, but it’s also secreted into the air from industrial pollution, such as burning coal. When the mercury in the air settles into oceans, lakes and streams, it turns into its most toxic form, called methylmercury. (This is not the same type found in your thermometer.) Fish and shellfish absorb methylmercury from the water and pass it on to you when you eat them.

An alert for women and children

When you eat fish containing high levels of methylmercury, you increase mercury levels in your body. Although the mercury typically passes through the body naturally, it sometimes builds up, which can harm an unborn baby’s or a young child’s developing nervous system. As a result, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are recommending safe levels of fish consumption for women who may become pregnant, are pregnant or are nursing, as well as for young children.

If you fall into one of these categories, follow the government guidelines below to safely reap the health benefits of fish:

• Don’t eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish—these larger fish normally contain high levels of mercury.

• Eat up to 12 ounces (two average meals) a week of a variety of fish or shellfish that are lower in mercury, such as shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish.

• Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your area waters. As a general rule, eat no more than 6 ounces a week of local fish.

Which seafood is safest?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) forbids the sale of fish with methylmercury levels above one part per million (ppm), so the fish you buy at the store is generally safe to eat. When in doubt, safe seafood choices include clams, oysters, ocean perch, shrimp and canned salmon—all of which have undetectable levels of methylmercury, according to the FDA.

Below are the methylmercury levels of other fish often found on America’s dinner tables.

Average mercury levels

Highest

tilefish (Gulf of Mexico)—1.45 ppm

shark—0.99 ppm

swordfish—0.97 ppm

king mackerel—0.73 ppm

Lowest

tilapia—0.01 ppm

salmon—0.01 ppm

hake—0.01 ppm

sardine—0.02 ppm

trout (freshwater)—0.03 ppm

For a complete list of fish and their mercury levels, go to the FDA food safety Web site at www. cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html or the EPA Web site at www.epa. gov/ost/fish.

The bottom line

For most people, consuming an average of two servings a week of any fish or shellfish should not be a health concern. In fact, the health benefits may outweigh any risk. But women who may become pregnant, nursing mothers and young children should limit their fish consumption according to government recommendations.