{"id":25842,"date":"2021-08-26T22:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-26T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=25842"},"modified":"2022-06-17T20:50:54","modified_gmt":"2022-06-17T20:50:54","slug":"healthiest-fish-to-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/healthiest-fish-to-eat\/","title":{"rendered":"The Top 6 Healthiest Fish to Eat, According to a Dietitian"},"content":{"rendered":"Shavonne Morrison, MS, RD, LD<\/a>, breaks down the benefits of eating fish in your weekly diet. Plus: her picks for the six healthiest types of fish that deserve a spot on your plate.<\/em>\n\nFish is one of the healthiest proteins you can include in your diet. It’s low in saturated fat, contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids<\/a>, and packs vitamins and minerals like vitamin D<\/a>, calcium, and iron.\n\nHowever, not all fish are created equal. To start, you may know that the way in which fish is prepared affects how nutritious it is. But what you may not have considered is which types of fish offer the most nutritional bang for your buck.\n\nBefore we take a look at the healthiest fish to eat, let’s first explore the benefits of fish that make it a star component of a healthy diet.\n

Benefits of Eating Fish<\/h2>\nMultiple studies have demonstrated the benefits of eating fish regularly. In fact, the USDA recommends eating fish two to three times a week<\/a> for maximum health wins.\n\nAccording to the FDA, fish has more B12 and vitamin D<\/a> than any other type of food. Plus, similar to many other protein<\/a> sources, fish is also a good source of iron.\n\nOne review of studies found that non-fried fish consumption was associated with better outcomes for heart health<\/a>. In contrast, those who consumed fried fish had an increased risk of heart issues, illustrating that cooking methods play a vital role in the health potential of certains food.\n\nHeadache sufferers may also get a boost from fish. A 2021 study found that people had fewer and less intense headaches<\/a> when they consumed a diet higher in fatty fish compared with those who ate a diet higher in vegetable-based fats and oils.\n\nWhile fish contain many healthy nutrients, certain fish can also be higher in mercury, a heavy metal, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)<\/a>. PCBs are industrial chemicals that can be harmful to health, and while they were banned in 1979, they may still appear in things produced before that time. Due to human activity, both mercury and PCBs can get into the bodies of water where fish live.\n\nThe amount that accumulate in fish largely has to do with where they fall on the food chain. Larger fish and bottom feeding fish (think: swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, Chilean sea bass) can contain higher levels of these contaminants, making smaller fish (like anchovies and sardines) a better option.\n\nWhile this is an important consideration when choosing fish for all people, women of childbearing age or who are pregnant or breastfeeding<\/a> should eat low-mercury fish<\/a> to avoid exposure to methyl mercury, which can have adverse effects on fetal brain and nervous system development. This chart from the FDA<\/a> can be helpful to identify the best fish options that are low in mercury.\n\n\"Friends\n

How to Eat Fish Sustainably<\/h2>\nIn addition to considering contaminants, sustainability should be on your mind when choosing fish to ensure it’s not only healthy for you, but also the environment. With the increasing demand for fish globally over the past several decades, the industry has become highly commercialized. Most of the fish available at your local supermarket is likely farmed. Although this isn’t entirely bad, it does contribute to the unsustainable practice of overfarming.\n\nOverfarming occurs when fish is produced at the expense of maintaining natural habitats due to increased demand. So, while evidence shows that there are still health benefits to farmed fish<\/a>, environmental concerns remain. (It’s worth noting that overfishing, or catching too many fish at once and depleting the population, is also problematic.)\n\nTo help conserve our oceans and prioritize shopping for sustainable seafood<\/a>, it’s best to buy local fish when you can. If you live in an area that lacks locally sourced seafood, choosing domestic seafood is your next best option to reduce your carbon footprint. As a helpful guide, the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch<\/a> keeps an updated list of the best choices, good alternatives, and fish to avoid.\n

What Are the Healthiest Fish to Eat?<\/h2>\nNow that you’re familiar with the health benefits of eating fish and how to enjoy it in a sustainable way, you’re likely curious about the best fish to eat.\n\nHere’s a list of the six healthiest fish you can put on your plate.\n

1. Salmon<\/h3>\nSalmon is the poster child for healthy fish\u2014and for good reason! Salmon packs healthy omega-3 fats, which can help reduce inflammation<\/a> in the body and provide heart-protective benefits.\n\nOne small cooked salmon filet<\/a> contains:\n