Low-Mercury Sustainable Seafood: Protecting Ourselves & Our Planet

Are you interested in knowing what fish you can eat without worrying about mercury toxicity or the danger of eating a species of fish on the verge of extinction? Some environmental organizations are now making lists of sustainable seafood, or seafood that is safe to eat without adverse effects to the planet or sea life. The majority of sustainable seafood contains moderate levels of mercury, and most sources say it can be eaten in small amounts (three to nine 3-4 oz. servings a month), depending on the type of fish. Mercury levels in fish are on the rise. Some sources are even claiming that mercury levels have become so high that no seafood is safe to eat. Mercury in the ocean can be natural or may come from coal-burning smoke stacks that emit mercury, which later finds its way into the food chain. Fish that contain levels of mercury so high that they are unsafe to eat are: tilefish, swordfish, shark, moonfish, orange roughy, bigeye tuna and king mackerel. Eating too much seafood high in mercury is hazardous to our health and can cause sensory, motor, neurological, and immune dysfunctions.

Following is a list of low-mercury sustainable seafood compiled from information obtained from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): haddock, herring, pollock (Alaska), prawns (U.S. or Canada), salmon (Alaska or Washington wild-caught), scallops (U.S. Pacific), shrimp (U.S. or Canada), dover sole (U.S. Pacific), abalone, sardines (U.S. Pacific), clams (Vietnam Ben Tre) and oysters.

We can lower the amount of mercury absorbed when eating seafood by adding cilantro or kelp, which bond with heavy metals and help to flush them out of our bodies. Pregnant women should eat no more than two 3-4 oz. servings a week of low-mercury fish because it can pass into the fetus through the bloodstream and may cause childhood illness.

Tao of Wellness offers gentle, safe detoxification retreats and treatments, which can help cleanse the body of mercury build-up. If you think your mercury level might be elevated, consult with one of our doctors. You can safely begin the detoxification process with our Internal Cleanse Tea or toxin-expelling Internal Cleanse capsules.