Will Eating Fish Give Me Mercury Poisoning?

Will Eating Fish Give Me Mercury Poisoning?

fresh menpachi fish

 

You’ve probably heard that fish is good for our health. And, if you’re like most people, you’ve probably wondered:

“Well, what makes fish so beneficial for us?”

Today, we’ll go over the inherent value of consuming fatty fish. We’ll also tackle one aspect of fish consumption that’s been on your mind: mercury poisoning.

Let’s dive in.

Is Mercury Poisoning Something to Worry About?

What’s the first concern that pops to mind when you hear about fish consumption? Is it mercury poisoning? If that’s the case, don’t worry - you’re not alone.

In truth, mercury poisoning has become a hot topic in recent years, and many people are reluctant to consume fish for fear of harming their health.

But here's the thing, fish tend to contain some amounts of mercury, typically in the form of methylmercury. Most experts fail to disclose that these amounts are generally minimal, and a person would have to eat fish non-stop for this to have any noticeable impact on their health.

Another thing to look at here is selenium. This mineral is abundant in fish and works as a vacuum cleaner to rid the body of heavy metals like mercury. It binds to these heavy metals and allows the body to ‘escort’ them before they can impact us in any way.

Including Fish in Your Diet Has Many Benefits

A well-balanced diet should include a variety of fish as it is a high-quality protein that has tons of nutrients, is low in saturated fat, and most importantly contains omega-3 fatty acids which is the good fat that contributes to healthy hearts.

For children and pregnant women, eating fish can contribute to proper growth and development. Both of these groups, however, need to be careful when choosing what kind of fish to include in their diet. They should stay away from large predator fish such as shark and swordfish. In addition, they should try to limit their intake of fish to two meals per week.

All in all though, almost everyone can and should include fish in their diets. It is a healthy source of protein and 

 

 


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