Fish That Contain Mercury

Seafood prepared from white fish is rich in proteins fats sodium potassium vitamins selenium magnesium and calcium.

Fish that contain mercury. You may also sort the table by species in alphabetical order. Before shopping for seafood familiarize yourself with the levels of mercury in fish. Fish are important in a healthy diet. Remember the younger and smaller the fish the safer since the amount of mercury increases every time a larger fish eats a small fish.

However some fish may contain mercury or other harmful chemicals at sufficiently high levels to be a concern. That s because it s a great source of protein micronutrients and healthy fats. Fish is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. For most people the small amounts in fish do not pose a health problem.

These figures are measured in micrograms of mercury per 4 ounces of. They are a lean low calorie source of protein. That makes it best to avoid eating large fish such as shark swordfish tilefish and king mackerel. Most of these fish low in mercury species live on the sea floor and their flesh is white.

The table is sorted by mercury concentration mean ppm from fish with lowest levels of mercury to highest levels of mercury. Some fish however contain high amounts of mercury enough to damage a fetus or newborn. Fish contain vital nutrients including omega 3 fatty acids protein vitamins and minerals such as iron. As small fish are eaten by larger fish up the food chain concentrations of mercury and pops increase so that large predatory deep ocean fish tend to contain the highest levels.

Here are some low mercury fish choices and fish to avoid. And even though most freshwater and saltwater fish are generally considered safe to eat there are some saltwater fish that contain varying levels of contaminants like mercury pcbs and dioxins which they acquire from the water they live in and from the food they eat. However some types of fish can contain high levels of mercury. Whitefish is a fishery term that refers to multiple fish species like cod whiting and caspian kutum.

Opt for organic farm raised seafood that contains lesser amounts of mercury such as wild alaskan salmon eel crab shrimp and catfish. Fish and shellfish concentrate mercury in their bodies often in the form of methylmercury a highly toxic organic compound of mercury. Fda recommends eating 8 12 ounces of fish low in mercury per week.