Most contain traces of mercury and lead. However, some of them contain so much of them that they are unhealthy for us may contribute to mercury poisoning. That’s why nutritionists and scientists including Dr. Felicia Wu, professor of food safety, toxicology and risk assessment at Michigan State University, recommend choosing species that contain the least toxins.
In an interview with thehealthy.com, the expert indicates fish that should not be included in our diet. Which of them can be found in Polish stores? These are worth avoiding.
Mercury and lead are compounds that occur naturally in the environment and most fish contain them. However, these elements can also be supplied by humans. IN antibiotics and hormones with which pangasius are stuffed due to poor breeding conditions. This process causes fish to absorb more chemicals from the water – including: mercury and lead.
Moreover, this fish is kept in dirty and polluted tanks that are severely overcrowded. Most often, it is farmed in the Mekong Delta, where waste is illegally dumped, which is why the Seafood Watch organization restricts the consumption of pangasius.
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This fish absorbs a lot of mercury, so it is worth limiting its consumption on holidays, especially we are fans of canned tuna. The website of the Ministry of Health and the National Health Fund recommends eating 150 g of tuna per week — this is a safe portion containing a dose of mercury that will not negatively affect the body.
Excessive consumption of mercury may result in mercury poisoning, which will negatively affect, among others: on the brain and heart. Most often, it manifests itself through: headaches, loss of vision, speech impairment and muscle weakness.
Tilapia is a lean and quite tasty fish, but the problem with it is similar to that with pangasius. It may come from a farm with questionable conditions. Therefore, it is recommended to limit it. As indicated by a study conducted by the Sea Fisheries Institute – National Research Institute, this fish contains the most lead.
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These fish are very popular, most of them come from Scandinavia, so they seem to be a much better option than those from Asia. However, breeding conditions are not always suitable. Often, the fish are fed antibiotics and swim in small pools, exposed to each other’s excrement.
In this case, it is worth paying attention to fish from ecological farms – then we will be more certain that they were bred in better conditions that did not affect their quality.