We all know how important eating fish is… primarily for the Omega 3′s we get. And most of us even know that a single 150 gram serving of fish or other seafood provides 50%-60% of our daily protein needs and is low in fat, generally less than 5%. And still some of us even know that the majority of fish types are low in cholesterol with the exception of prawns, squid and fish roe, however the higher amounts of cholesterol in these foods is offset by the higher levels of beneficial EPA and DHA omega 3 oils that they contain.
BUT, I would bet dollars to donuts that only a very small fraction of us know that more than 80% of the seafood sold today is imported, much of it from Third World nations such as China, Vietnam and the Philippines, none of which are known for their food safety standards. Canada, for example, has “strict” importation regulations on fish and seafood, however did you know that for a product to boast a claim of “Made in Canada” it can do so as long as 51% of the COSTS are spent on Canadian soil… in other words, the actual FISH is likely imported from somewhere halfway across the world!!!
The seafood industry is being flooded with products imported from developing countries, much of which have proven to be contaminated with banned chemicals, poisons, carcinogens and high levels of antibiotics, according to a report by ABC News.
And here’s what Dr. Joseph Mercola, a very trusted source, had to say on the subject:
Farmed Fish May Be Worst of All
Farmed fish, in particular, should be avoided if you treasure your health. (It’s also one of the most unsustainable approaches to farmingthere is, and has a significant, detrimental impact on the environment.)
All farm-raised fish are fed a concoction of vitamins, antibiotics, and depending on the fish, synthetic pigments, to make up for the lack of natural flesh coloration due to the altered diet. Without it, the flesh of caged salmon, for example, would be an unappetizing, pale gray.
Pesticides are oftentimes also fed to the fish, and toxic copper sulfate is frequently used to keep nets free of algae.
Fish waste and uneaten feed litter the sea floor beneath these farms, generating bacteria that consume oxygen vital to shellfish and other bottom-dwelling sea creatures.
The inevitable result of these modern fish farming practices is an evil circle of disease, antibiotic use, followed by the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains. Disease and parasites, which would normally exist in relatively low levels in fish scattered around the oceans, can run rampant in densely packed fish farms.
Studies have also consistently found levels of PCBs, dioxins, toxaphene and dieldrin, as well as mercury, to be higher in farm-raised fish than wild fish.
So What are Your Options?
Sadly, contamination of our oceans and waterways is so great that toxic pollutants are found in ever increasing amounts in wild fish as well.
Dr. Mercola recommends getting your omega-3′s from high quality supplements…. I would tend to agree (unless you can verify the source of the fish.)
