a lesson in seafood

What was once a critical component of the human diet has now become somewhat of a controversy (though realistically, what hasn’t?).  Seafood in general is high in omega-3 fatty acids, which we all know aids in brain development, reduces inflammation that causes cardiovascular disease, and is said to help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease. All of these things are good, but are they worth all of the other negative side effects that fish have become associated with? 

The difference between the fish we eat today, and the fish our great, great, grandparents were eating is simple: waste. Over the past two hundred years or so our oceans have become a dumping ground for the mass quantities of trash and chemical waste that are byproducts of human life.

This post aims to break down the confusion of the seafood puzzle which plagues today's media, and to help you navigate the fish market in the healthiest way possible.

I first want to emphasize what our oceans have become today. Many of us tend to forget (especially when ordering up our seafood) that this still exists:

Yes, this is an image of the great pacific garbage patch, which, in case you may have forgotten, is more than twice the size of Texas. So, I urge you to think about where that tasty swordfish filet lived, (and what it ate) before it found itself on your plate. 

In general there are a few simple rules that I like to follow when purchasing seafood:

1. Make sure you know where the fish came from
2. Only order bottom-of-the-food-chain fish   

The first rule addresses the seafood labeling confusion, which I know troubles more individuals than just myself. When browsing the fish market we see a select number of magical words plastered across tags and signs, which target our little confused brains and convince us to shell out the megabucks and cart them off. Sustainable, local, fresh caught, farm raised, among others, tell us very little about the quality of our fish. 

Just because something is local and fresh caught, for example, does not mean that it hasn't been exposed to the high levels of toxins in the ocean, including Mercury. So here we are taking home dinner, thinking we're supporting the community and getting fresh not-frozen fish, but really it's all entirely irrelevant to our health. 

Here is a rather depressing info-graphic (if you live in the US). This only goes to show how truly difficult it is to know what we're eating. 

If you want to read more about this, check out the Oceana site. 

The second rule I have adopted when navigating the seafood section of the supermarket is to only purchase bottom of the food chain seafood (with the exception of salmon, which seems to be less affected by the pollution). This general rule of thumb is based on the premise that fish eat plastics and pollution that we humans have dumped upon them, and these toxins then travel up the food chain. The lower the fish on the food chain, the less build up of pollution it is likely to have.

Examples of acceptable seafood include:

• scallops
• shrimp (farm raised is best)
• carp (requires a lot of flavoring)
• salmon (be aware that some salmon has added coloring. Don't be fooled into thinking its a better quality just because its brightly colored.) 

For a more extensive list of fish high and low in mercury levels: click here

That being said, it is important to still be aware of what you are purchasing, as the graph above shows, seafood does not have the strictest of labeling laws here in the US. Though other countries might have different laws and regulations regarding seafood, it is easier than you might think to be duped into buying a cheaper substitute without even knowing it. 

This is common with scallops, as shark meat is often stamped out and sold in its place. One way to check for this is to make sure your scallops are not perfectly round and shaped exactly alike. Remember, scallops are muscles, which should not be flawlessly symmetrical. 

Am I telling you to stop eating fish? Certainly not. But the take away is this: be aware when purchasing seafood. Question those behind the counter, and remember that even though higher quality fish is expensive, it is better to pay the grocer than the doctor.