The fish we eat every day are full of Mercury, and that’s nothing new. Here’s why and which ones to pay particular attention to.
Experts tell us that eating fish is good for you, thanks also to the contribution of precious Omega-3s. But together with the good substances we also risk assimilating the toxic ones.
We must then understand well which types of fish species are rich in healthy nutrients and which ones are potentially dangerous to health.
The Mercurywhen taken in excessive quantities, it leads to serious damageespecially at the expense of central nervous system. That is why we should avoid exposure to this substance as much as possible. Particularly, experts advise maximum attention to pregnant and breastfeeding women and small children.
Full of Mercury: Fresh and canned fish, pay attention to these 3, here’s what ends up on the table
The mercury is found everywhere in nature, but in some cases it can concentrate, contaminating the food chain. Especially with regards to Pisces, mercury is often in the form of methylmercurynotoriously neurotoxic substance. Even if we think that the seas are immense and therefore that the concentration of substances is dispersed, in reality The methylmercury enters the food chain from algae.
From there, every organism that eats and is eaten up to the top of the food chain takes on the substance, which then ends up on our tables. Even if Pisces, like us humans, have defense mechanisms to dispose of harmful substances, there is an accumulation, mostly in the viscera, fat and muscles.
It goes without saying that a large and “old” fish contains a higher concentration of Mercury. Indeed the large marine mammals are the most contaminated. Large predators such as blue sharksThe Swordfish and the Tuna fish they therefore represent the most potentially dangerous to our health.
The Tuna, fresh or canned, ends up on Italian tables very oftenthat’s why caution is needed. The canned one comes from fish caught in the ocean, which is less polluted than the Mediterranean seas, e we can opt for farmed fish, a little less exposed to contamination. Even if it is not always easy to understand the origin of raw materials, also farmed fish can be contaminated by feed.
It is not necessary to stop eating fish, indeed, there are excellent alternatives
Contrary to what one might think, for example, crustaceans and molluscs are not a source of excess Mercury. It seems that they have natural defenses that are able to dispose of it faster than marine mammals.
We lucked out though great alternatives to make sure theintake of Omega-3sso valuable to health. Indeed we can decrease the amount of large predatory fish and prefer the Bluefishwhich contains minor amounts of mercury. Yes then a anchovies, herring, sardines, and then farmed trout and royal mackerelbe careful though, it’s not what we find canned on supermarket shelves.
(the information in this article is for informational purposes only and concerns scientific studies or publications in medical journals. Therefore, they do not replace the consultation of a doctor or specialist, and should not be considered for formulating treatments or diagnoses)
