Since 2004, the Food and Drug Administration has warned against consuming more than 12 ounces of seafood a week due to excessive mercury exposure. Mercury is a neurotoxin which damages the brain and nervous system resulting in confusion, balance troubles, neurological problems and developmental defects. Pregnant women and children are especially at risk, but even healthy adults would do well to minimize mercury exposure by choosing seafood carefully.

Avoid bigger and older fish, who have had longer to absorb mercury (and who have eaten a lot of little fish):
• Albacore tuna
• King mackerel
• Tilefish
• Shark*
• Swordfish*
• Chilean sea bass*

Lower mercury options are:
• Salmon, especially Alaskan sockeye, is your best choice
• Clams
• Oysters
• Sardines
• Anchovies
• Crabs
• Scallops
• Catfish
• Tilapia
• Pollock

If you are going to eat tuna—canned, light tuna (skipjack, yellowfin) is better than albacore, as the skipjack or yellowfin will generally have only about one third of the mercury that albacore has. Eat no more than 1-1/2 ounces a week of tuna steak for every 50 pounds you weigh—so a 150 lb person should eat no more than 4-1/2 ounces per week.

*Eating shark, swordfish (especially imported), and Chilean sea bass would not, however, be good choices in terms of eco-sustainability. If you like swordfish, try wahoo instead; if you like chilean sea bass, you might enjoy black cod.

Christina Rutheiser, CNHP, Holistic Nutrition Consultant for Integrative Health Centers