Searching For A Healthy Diet? Go Fish

[Guest guest]

Searching For A Healthy Diet? Go Fish JoAnn Guest Nov 03, 2005 17:41 PST

 

By Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE

eDiets Chief Nutritionist

 

 

November 3, 2005

 

 

http://www.ediets.com/news/article.cfm?cmi=1045461 & cid=28

I'm not surprised if you're confused about fish; it’s certainly fishy

when on the same day you could read conflicting articles about the

health benefits and health risks of fish. Let's get to the bottom of the

story.

 

Alaska vs. FDA

 

The feud stems from the federal advisory issued by the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration in

2004, which recommends that women of childbearing years and young

children eat only 12 ounces total of fish per week. That’s the estimated

equivalent of two meals, so as to limit their exposure to mercury.

Federal officials are especially concerned about toxic levels of mercury

in deepwater fish including shark, kingfish, tuna and mackerel. Alaskans

mostly eat locally caught, non farm-raised fish, including a lot of

salmon.

 

Alaskan state health officials have issued a statement contradicting the

federal advisory for pregnant women and women of childbearing age to

limit eating fish.

 

In the March issue of The American Journal of Public Health, state

officials say federal recommendations should not apply in Alaska because

Alaskan fish are healthy.

 

They state that on average, Alaskan citizens eat between 30 and 200

pounds of local fish yearly, and concentrations of mercury in native

fish are within acceptable levels.

 

They advise that all Alaskans, including children and pregnant women,

enjoy unrestricted amounts of fish that are caught locally.

 

New Dietary Guidelines

 

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 recommend that Americans

double current consumption of oily fish, such as salmon, trout or

herring. These and other fatty fish contain optimal amounts of omega-3

fatty acids, anti-inflammatory anti-oxidants correlated with a decreased

risk of heart disease and some cancers. Researchers are not just

treading water, the evidence is clear.

 

The famous Framingham Nurses’ Health Study (Harvard Public School of

Health) examines female nurses since 1970 and repeatedly shows that

nurses who eat fish at least twice a week have significantly lower risk

of heart disease.

 

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends eating fatty fish at

least two times a week.

 

They state, “Fish is a good source of protein without the high saturated

fat found in fatty meat products. Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout,

herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are also high in two kinds

of omega-3 fatty acids; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic

acid (DHA).” ---

 

JoAnn Guest

mrsjo-

www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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