Authored by Jenna Carter, UMN Public Health and Nutrition Program
Fish provides an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals that benefit your overall health. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential in the diet because our bodies cannot produce them on their own. Fish is an excellent source of omega-3’s especially trout, tuna, salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines. Consuming fish is also a great way to obtain protein and has very low amounts of saturated fat. The American Heart Association actually recommends eating at least two servings of fish per week to help prevent heart disease, lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Fish is a highly nutritious food source, but you must be very careful when choosing the type of fish you will consume. Toxins can accumulate in fish and thus reduce their food safety. A few toxins include mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Exposure to PCBs can be reduced by removing the skin and any surface fat before cooking. Mercury is much harder to avoid. Mercury becomes an air pollutant from the burning of coal and other wastes. It then makes its way into streams, lakes and other bodies of water and is transformed into methylmercury by bacteria. The bacteria contain high amounts of mercury which are then consumed by fish that we eventually eat. Mercury is especially toxic to the brain and nervous system of unborn and young children; thus, the FDA advises women who may become pregnant, are pregnant or nursing, and young children not to eat fish containing high amounts of mercury. These include shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tile fish. All other fish sources should be limited to no more than 12 ounces per week. Other people should limit their intake of high mercury containing fish to one time per week.
We are lucky enough to live in Minnesota which has an abundance of freshwater fish. For those who enjoy fresh fish and would like to continue to enjoy it throughout the winter, preservation can be done through freezing, canning, smoking, or pickling. If you are interested in learning how to properly preserve fish, please visit the University of Minnesota Extension at http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/DJ1087.html.
Salmon and trout are available at the market from vendors, Wild Run Salmon and Star Prairie Trout Farm.
