we would love your opinion on this. We recently featured a nutrition tip "How Not To Eat Mercury" (http://www.healthcastle.com/nutrition_mont...p_mercury.shtml) about benefits of eating fish and suggested tips for avoiding high-mercury fish. But we received objections from National Fisheries Institutes - they said that high mercury fish is safe for most people. My question for my fellows here: If it's not safe for your daughter and your pregnant sister, is it safe for you?
The following is the email we received from National Fisheries Institutes.
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March 9, 2009
Gloria Tsang
Managing Editor
HealthCastle.com
VIA Email
Dear Ms. Tsang,
I am writing with a correction to an article written by Dr. Janet Brill entitled, “How to Not Eat Mercury.” The nutrition advice offered in this piece mischaracterizes who official seafood advice is intended for and may contribute to “spillover,” the unintentional effect of targeted advice reaching the general population.
Dr. Brill writes, “3. Choose fish higher on the contaminant scale less often: mahi-mahi, orange roughy, sea bass, canned tuna (white albacore), red snapper, freshwater trout, halibut, grouper. 4. Omit fish that’s high in mercury: king mackerel, swordfish, shark, tilefish, marlin.” But guidance to avoid certain species higher in mercury is only for the subpopulation of women who are or might become pregnant, nursing women, and young children. For this population, both the U.S. FDA and the Institute of Medicine are clear in their guidance: 12 ounces of seafood per week, half of which can be albacore tuna, is safe and healthful. There are four species to avoid: king mackerel, swordfish, shark, and tilefish.
Older women and men are encouraged to eat a variety of seafood. There are no species to limit or avoid.
A startling 78 percent of Americans, and up to 95 percent of pregnant women, do not meet the goal of 12 ounces of seafood per week. For this reason, it is especially important that the recommendations we give are consistent.
In the name of providing accurate nutrition advice to your readers, I ask that you review this matter and address this concern.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Jennifer McGuire, MS, RD
Manager, Nutrition Communication
National Fisheries Institute
