Hello Everybody
To lose weight part of your diet should be fish. But what sort of fish? The best are known as ‘oily fish’. These contain omega-3, essential fatty acids good for heart health, vitamin A which helps vision, and vitamin D important for the development of healthy teeth and bones. So oily fish are good for you? Yes and no. One of the less helpful results of our industrial society is that we pollute everything, including the oceans. One of the pollutants is mercury which, together with naturally occurring mercury, gets into the bodies of fish and so into the food chain. Small amounts of mercury are not a problem but a large amount can effect the brain and nervous system and is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and nursing mothers. So we need to make sure we are eating the right fish and not too much of it.
There are a number of oily fish, but I would suggest these three - and one to avoid.
Mackerel: This tops the list as it is my favourite. It can be cooked in a variety of ways and is high in Omega-3. North Atlantic mackerel is on the Natural Resources Defence Council’s least mercury list and so is safe to eat.
100 grams of fried mackerel contains 254 calories and 12g fat.
Herring: A cook can do fewer things with a herring than with a mackerel. But it is higher in Omega-3 and is on the NRDC’s least mercury list.
100 grams of grilled herring contains 203 calories and 13g fat.
Salmon: This is one of the most versatile fish and can be eaten in a multiplicity of ways. It is high in Omega-3 and is on the NRDC’s least mercury list. In principle fish farming is a good idea but farmed salmon do not benefit from the diet they receive and may contain dangerous PCBs. Farmed salmon is best avoided. So always eat wild salmon
100 grams of steamed salmon contains 180 calories and 12g fat.
Tuna: This is the one to avoid. Various species of tuna are on the NRDC’s moderate to highest mercury list. But also consider that this magnificent fish is being over fished to extinction. We are told it is only some varieties which are at risk. But as one variety disappears another one will become a target and disappear in turn. Food containing tuna is everywhere and it is likely that our grandchildren will never know what a tuna is. So avoid mercury risk and save the tuna at the same time by not eating any tuna products.
You may think that all you want to do is lose weight and not worry about mercury and saving the planet. But eating oily fish will certainly improve your health and add to your list of ingredients for tasty meals. Do not eat fish every day, but if you keep to mackerel, herring or wild salmon ,and are not pregnant or nursing a baby, the mercury risk will be minimal and your heart will be better for it.
See you soon,
Peter Stockwell
14 September 2010
Photo. Helen Sotiriadis