Food: Is it safe?

 
Introduction
The skinny on salmon
Fishing for omega-3s
Mad cows, madder consumers
Conclusion

Fishing for omega-3s

 Omega-3 sounds like a planet visited by Kirk and the gang from Star Trek, but Omega-3s are actually fatty acids that are great for our hearts. They are found in several different types of food, including fish, and many health experts recommend eating fish for this reason.

Unfortunately, industrial pollution in our oceans and lakes means that some fish are also high in toxins. So women of childbearing age and young children should avoid the more contaminated species, including shark, swordfish and farmed salmon.

Some species are also being over-fished to near extinction levels. By avoiding these fish, we can help the stocks recover.

Fish to avoid:
Shark (overfished, high mercury contamination)
Swordfish (overfished, high mercury contamination)
Bluefin tuna (overfished)
Farmed salmon (PCB and dioxin contamination, pollutes coastal waters, depletes wild fish)
Chilean sea bass (overfished)
Orange roughy (overfished)
 
Good fish choices:
Wild salmon – including most canned (high omega-3s)
Sardines (high omega-3s)
Oysters (high omega-3s)
Freshwater trout (high omega-3s)
Farmed catfish
Black cod/sablefish
Halibut
Clams and mussels

Download a handy card with more good fish choices here

Vegetable sources of healthy omega-3s include:

• Flaxseeds (crushed preferably) and flaxseed oil (can be taken in liquid or capsule form; it can be added in most of your cooking including salad dressings and sauces)
  
  
• Walnuts (a quarter cup (1 ounce) supplies about two grams plant based omega-3 fatty acids, slightly more than found in 3 ounces of salmon)
  
  
• Dark leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale, and arugula
  
  
• Canola oil, soybean oil
  
  To find out more about Omega-3 fatty acids visit:
  http://www.omega-3info.com/home.htm

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