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Fish
and Meats
Overview and health risks
Seafood
Overview
Meat
Overview
Anything
Fishy About Your Seafood Choices?
We certainly hear often
enough that fish is a healthy alternative to meat. It’s lower in fat, a
good source of protein, and rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can help
reduce heart disease risk. The American Heart Association (AHA) and the
American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommend eating fish at least twice a
week—if not more. But
fish can sometimes contain the toxic metal mercury.
Health experts still
insist that overall, the health benefits of fish outweigh its risks if you
choose your seafood wisely. The bottom line is that most men—and women
who are not pregnant—can safely follow the AHA and ADA recommendations
of eating fish twice a week. But pregnant women and young children should
focus on fish with the lowest levels of mercury.
Quick Guide to Mercury in Seafood
Seafood
Low in Mercury Content
: Catfish
(farmed), Blue crab
(mid-Atlantic), Croaker,
Fish sticks, Flounder
(summer), Haddock,
Trout (farmed), Salmon
(wild Pacific), Shrimp
Eat No
More Than One Serving Per Month
: Canned tuna,
Mahi mahi, Blue mussels,
Eastern oyster, Cod,
Pollock, Great
Lakes salmon, Gulf
Coast blue crab, Channel
catfish (wild), Lake
whitefish
Should
be avoided: Shark,
Swordfish, King mackerel,
Tilefish, Tuna steaks, Sea bass, Gulf Coast
oysters, Marlin, Halibut, Pike,
Walleye, White
croaker, Largemouth
bass
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Meat
Without the “Extras”
Animals raised for food
are typically “treated” with chemicals and medications that may remain
in the meat and cause problems for humans. Human growth hormones are one
such growing concern. But perhaps the most troubling problem is the
overuse of antibiotics in such animals.
Overuse and misuse of
antibiotics in humans causes enough trouble. When used for conditions that
aren’t treatable by antibiotics (such as viral infections), or when
people don’t take them as directed by their physicians, these drugs can
lead to more rapid development of infectious organisms that resist medical
treatment. It may even lead to the development of diseases that cannot be
treated at all.
What’s worse is that
in addition to misuse among humans, there is great misuse in animals. This
includes the overuse of antibiotics essential for treating sick humans,
such as fluoroquinolones. Some estimates indicate that agriculture
accounts for more than 80% of antibiotic use in the United States.
For a guide to
purchasing meat that was raised without antibiotics, visit the Institute
for Agriculture and Trade Policy’s Web site.
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