Fish in my diet

[hugoboss]

I've started really enjoying eating fish instead of meat. Is there any particular reason not to eat fish everyday? I have probably half a tin of tuna or some salmon every day. Is this ok do you think?

[natalie_1982]

I can't see as the fish would do you harm, except for the salt depending how the tuna comes out of the tin, but you are advised to eat fish twice a week, and I've never read that eating fish every day would do you any favours.

I don't think it would make a difference either way to be honest, but why not have chicken instead, or grilled fish instead of tinned?

[kick3m0n]

Tuna is bad if you eat too much.  You shouldn't eat more than a tin a week, due to the relatively high  mercury levels found in tuna.   You also shouldn't feed children too much tuna, for the exact same reason, mercury levels could have serious adverse  developmental affects (it's now a standard warning to pregnant women to avoid tuna, swordfish and shark - all due to mercury).

[hugoboss]

Yeah, I do have grilled fish sometimes. I am basically trying to avoid eating sandwiches for lunch, and am making salads at work, and putting tinned fish with it. Chicken chopped into a salad would be ok actually Nat, thanks. I'm just craving fish so much, i don't know why!

Kick, i didn't know too much tuna was bad for you. thanks for telling me. i'll try to keep it down to a tin a week!

[LordyGeordie]

i think salmon's also supposed to be bad for you for the same reason as tuna.

i read somewhere that it should only be eaten once a fortnight and pregnant women should avoid it.

however, my feeling is that if someone's eating salmon reguarly, he's got more of a chance than someone eating red meat regualrly. it's all about degrees of danger.

as for other sorts of fish -cod, haddock etc. i've never heard anything to suggest its bad for you

[camille79]

Have you tried the little tins of mackeral in sauce?  They're really tasty and there are no bones etc.  Mackerel is full of omega 3 (relates to brain function and memory), something almost all of us are deficient in.  This is also found in other oily fish such as salmon and tuna but NOT tinned tuna as it is cooked prior to canning and so the oil is lost.

[5029]

try fresh tuna steaks rather than tinned tuna

[rja211077]

Dioxin levels have been a recent concern in farmed salmon, but as others have said, it's likely that the proven benefits outweigh the risks. See http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2004/jan/science studysalmon

[brachiopod]

Yes, the 'don't eat salmon more than X times a week' scare seems to have been retracted lately, with current thinking being it's not that bad after all. Like all food scares, it depends on who sponsors the research and how it is whipped up, sorry I mean reported in the media.

But back to the question in hand, smoked mackerel is nice with a salad and ideal in a lunch box. Makes a nice change.

[Chrome&Steel]

As a Semi-Vegi for the last 11 years, my family and I don't eat any meat other than Fish and we have not seen any ill effects at all. My doctor says that our diet is a lot healthier than most of his other clients (nutrient and vitamin wise.) To answer your question from our point of view only:

a/ too much of any one thing is always bad for you.

b/ farmed foods are always going to be less healthy than the natural (organic) version.

c/ scare mongering is a way for all good researchers and scientists to elongate their current funding!

d/ Finally don't worry about what you eat, just make sure that it is a healthy balance with not too much saturated fat or salt. Lets face it, if Cancer or PCB's don't get you, then you could be run over just crossing the road and if not the stress of worry could finish you off with an ulcer!.

[sasserina]

Try mackeral and sardines...salmon and tuna contain too much mercury and cod is a scavenger fish that eats all the rubbish at the bottom of the sea so go for haddock !

[Hgrove]

Agree with above and would also add herring is good (mackerel, sardines and herring I think are oily fish, believed to be very good for you).