A new tool can help shoppers choose seafood that’s higher in omega-3 fatty acids, lower in mercury, and sustainably produced. This ‘seafood calculator,’ produced by the Environmental Working Group, takes into account a person’s age, weight, gender, whether they have heart disease and, for women, whether they are pregnant or nursing.
The idea is to go beyond federal guidelines and give consumers personally-tailored information. For example, last year the EPA encouraged pregnant and nursing women to eat more fish rich in omega-3s, recommending eight to 12 ounces per week. Yet during pregnancy, mercury exposure is even more of a risk. The calculator can help identify fish that are high in omega-3s and low in mercury.
The Environmental Working Group also hopes to help people choose heart-healthy seafood options. While omega-3s are often associated with seafood in general, eight of the ten most commonly-eaten species actually contain very low levels of the beneficial fatty acids. So people upping their seafood intake for health reasons need to choose wisely in order to reap the benefits.
The tool divides seafood into four categories based on mercury levels – Best Bets, Good Choices, Mercury Risks Add Up, and – simply – Avoid. A fifth category identifies fish that are low in mercury but also low in omega-3s. Based on your personal information, it indicates how many servings you can safely consume of a given type of seafood per week.
And for those concerned with sustainability, the calculator covers that too – giving a sustainability rating for each type of seafood with a link to additional information.
You can learn more at: ewg.org.
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Web Links
EWG Releases New Consumer Tool to Help People Make Smarter Seafood Choices
US Seafood Advice Flawed on Mercury, Omega-3s
Photo, posted June 26, 2010, courtesy of Alpha via Flickr.
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Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio, with script contribution from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies.