VITALNUTRITION

By Kim Miller, Co-Owner Fit Mom Diet

FISH:
FRIEND
OR FOE?
In a comprehensive analysis of
human studies conducted by Harvard
School of Public Health, professors Dariush
Mozaffarian and Eric Rimm calculated
that eating about two grams per week of
omega-3 fatty acids found in fsh, which is
equal to about one or two servings of fatty
fsh a week, reduces the chances of dying
from heart disease by more than one third.
The American Heart Association (AHA)
recommends that fsh be consumed twice
a week to reap the benefts of lowering
your heart rate, blood pressure and
improving blood vessel function. The U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states
that fsh is a good source of omega-3 fatty
acids, low in saturated fat and high in
protein.
However, despite these benefts,
there has been great cause for concern
regarding the consumption of fsh,
particularly as it relates to the mercury
found in fsh and its detrimental effects
on the body. Mercury poisoning is a
type of metal poisoning and a medical
condition caused by exposure to mercury
or its compounds. Mercury is contained
in various products and environmental
factors, but one of the greatest risks of
mercury exposure is contaminated fsh.
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The aftermath of radiation spills from

Japans Fukushima nuclear reactor caused
by the March 2011 earthquake and
subsequent tsunami sparked great debate
as to the safety of fsh for Americans.
According to a statement made by
the Japanese government, since the
earthquake, radioactive water continues
to pour into the Pacifc Ocean at record
levels three hundred tons per day
which is approximately enough to fll the
size of an Olympic size pool every eight
days. According to a report by the French
Institute for Radiological Protection and
Nuclear Safety, that initial breakdown
caused the largest single contribution of
radionuclides to the marine environment
ever observed. This water is infecting
wildlife as a result.

Debunking the Fear

OF Radioactive Fish
Nicholas Fisher is a professor at the School
of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at
Stony Brook University in New York. Hes
been measuring radioactivity in seafood
since the Fukushima accident in March
2011. He authored a leading study that
found radioactive isotopes in 15 bluefn
captured from the Pacifc Ocean waters

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

BETTER CHOICES
Some fsh are much higher in
mercury than others, including swordfsh,
mackerel and shark. Other fsh vary
in mercury content but are flled with
healthy omega-3 fatty acids that everyone
needs in their diet. A healthy diet should
include two 6-oz servings per week of the
lower mercury fsh, whereas the higher
mercury-containing fsh should be limited
to one 6-oz serving per month or less,
said Scottsdale, Arizona based Registered
Dietitian Brittney Clarizio. Clarizios top
fve choices of low mercury fsh include
shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon,
pollock and catfsh.

near San Diego, California. Radioactivity

in the fsh that arrive in North America is
detectable, but just barely, he said. No
measurements weve made are a public
health concern. If we found scary-high
levels of radioactivity we would report
them to authorities, but were nowhere
near that.
If radioactive levels in fsh are at
a minimum, does that mean that the
benefts far outweigh the risks? According
to Gavin Gibbons, a spokesperson for the
National Fisheries Institutes, a nonproft
organization backed by the fshing and
seafood industry, the answer is yes. When
environmental activists suggest that
consumers not eat a healthy protein like
seafood, theyre doing more harm than
good. Gibbons sentiments are echoed by
a number of organizations, including the
AHA and FDA. Mary Ellen Bingham, Head
Sports Dietician at the University of North
Carolina, Chapel Hill, stated that, Fish
consumption is recommended because
of the EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids
that are benefcial for heart health. There
are environmental concerns with regard to
eating fsh, but this is the case for other
protein foods as well, such as chicken,
pork or beef.

Sustainable Seafood as
Means of Healthy Nutrition

Clearly many experts claim fsh can have

numerous health benefts; however, its
confusing for the average consumer to
determine which fsh is best to purchase
and why. In the 1990s an effort was
launched to promote sustainable fshing.
Wikipedia defnes sustainable fshing as
seafood that is either caught or farmed in
ways that consider the long-term vitality
of harvested species and the well-being of
the oceans. What does that mean exactly?
Basically, it means that certain seafood
has been overfshed or caught in ways
that may cause lasting damage to our
oceans and marine life and it is in our best
interest to avoid consuming fsh caught or
harvested using those methods.
Sustainable fshing is a growing concern
and is being addressed by a variety
of organizations who advocate for the
safety of our marine life and oceans.
One such organization is Seafood Watch
(seafoodwatch.org), which is owned and
operated by the Monterey Bay Aquarium
Foundation in Monterey, California.
Seafood Watch helps educate on selecting
fsh that is fshed or raised with minimal
impact to the environment. The website
regularly produces lists of fsh that are best
choices, good alternatives and ones to
avoid based on the organizations mission.
By visiting the site, you can easily enter
any type of seafood you are curious about
to determine its sustainability and whether
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it is recommended, which is great for

helping you make purchasing decisions.
Tim McComsey, registered dietician,
personal trainer and owner of TRYM
Fitness in Carrollton, Texas, is an advocate
for including fsh in your diet and also
promotes eating sustainable seafood to
his clients. People need to be educated
when selecting fsh but keep in mind that
the benefts of eating sustainable fsh far
outweighs the downfalls, said McComsey.

TIPS FOR HEALTHY FISH

CONSUMPTION
Check local advisories about the
safety of fsh caught by family and
friends in local lakes, rivers and
coastal areas.
Use low-fat cooking techniques
such as baking, broiling, grilling or
poaching.
Eat a variety of types of fsh.
When possible, select wild-caught
over farm-raised fsh.
If cleaning your own fsh, trim the
skin and the fat off.
Avoid overly processed fsh such as
fsh sticks.

Farm-Raised Versus
Wild-Caught Fish

Another consideration when selecting fsh

is whether to purchase farm-raised or wildcaught fsh. Farm-raised fsh are raised
commercially in tanks, enclosures and
controlled pens typically in lakes, ponds,
rivers and oceans. Wild-caught fsh are as
the name implies: wild. They are surviving
in bodies of water on their own. There are
pros and cons to both types of fsh.

Pros & Cons of Farm-Raised Fish

Farm-raised fsh are fed a controlled diet
made of processed pellets created from
anchovies, sardines and other small fsh.
The fsh used to make these pellets are
often caught in polluted waters close to
shores that run a higher risk of containing
industrial chemicals.
Another con of farm-raised is they are
also more prone to disease, which can
spread quickly to an enclosed population.
Sick fsh can also escape to surrounding
open waters and infect wild populations.
To prevent this, farm-raised fsh are given
antibiotics, which are then passed on to
those who eat the fsh.
Some pros are typically farm-raised fsh
are less expensive than wild caught fsh
and they can potentially contain more
omega-3 fatty acids. This is because
farmers can control the diet of their fsh,
ensuring they eat more feed that converts

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

to omega-3s than a wild-caught fsh

might eat. However, there is no way for a
consumer to determine the exact amount
in one piece of fsh versus another.
Another pro is farming fsh prevents
overfshing, which helps to ensure the
survival of various fsh species.

Pros & Cons of Wild-Caught Fish

A large number of marine biologists argue
that there is not enough wild-caught fsh
to meet the growing demands of people
who want to eat fsh. This causes a risk of
overfshing and thereby depleting the fsh
population.
Wild-caught fsh is considerably more
expensive than farm-raised fsh. Plus,
depending on where you live, obtaining
wild-caught fsh might require it to be
shipped long distances, using up valuable
fossil fuels in the process.
On the other hand, wild-caught fsh
are considered more nutritious, according
to sports dietician Mary Ellen Bingham.
In a comparison of wild-caught versus
farm-raised salmon, wild-caught salmon
contained less calories and fat as well as
more calcium, zinc and iron.
Since wild-caught fsh are not contained,
they have more room to move around,
which results in increased muscle tone and
ultimately more texture and favor.
What About Mercury Levels?
When it comes to mercury levels, both
farm-raised and wild-caught fsh are at risk.
Some fsh are much higher in mercury
than others, including sword fsh, mackerel
and shark, said Scottsdale, Arizona based
Registered Dietitian Brittney Clarizio.
Other fsh vary in mercury content but are
flled with healthy omega-3 fatty acids that
everyone needs in their diet. A healthy diet
should include two 6-oz servings per week
of the lower mercury farm-raised or wildcaught fsh, whereas the higher mercurycontaining fsh should be limited to one
6-oz serving per month or less.
With so much information to take in
regarding the benefts of fsh, one thing
is for sure: its important to be educated.
Experts agree that knowing where fsh
comes from and researching what its
potentially been exposed to is extremely
helpful when making a decision on what
to eat. MS&F

COOKING TIP

If you are not a fsh eater but want to try to incorporate

it into your diet, start with more mild varieties of fsh.
These include halibut, haddock and mahi-mahi. Balance the
taste by favoring it with lemon or lime juice. Using herbs
and spices on your fsh can also enhance the favor. Dill,
rosemary, garlic, onion, oregano and paprika make excellent
choices or try and dash of cayenne pepper if you like things
spicy! Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty, Co-Owners of Fit Mom Diet

Spiced Cranberry Farro with Salmon

Recipe Created by The Fit Mom Diet Team, Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty, FitMomDiet.com
Photo by James Patrick, JamesPatrick.com
Ingredients for Farro
1 cup of pre-cooked farro
1 teaspoons of fresh grated ginger
2 teaspoons garlic powder or minced garlic
1 - 32 oz. container of vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
Ingredients for Salmon
3 to 4 4-oz. boneless salmon fllets
tablespoons dried cranberries
1 head of caulifower
tablespoons of diced red onions
tablespoons of chopped walnuts
1 cup grated carrots
Instructions for Farro
1. Place vegetable broth in a medium saucepan pan
and bring to a boil.
2. Add farro, bay leaves, ginger and garlic powder,
place on simmer and cook until tender (approximately 10-12 minutes). If cooking non pre-cooked farro, cook for
approximately 35-40 minutes, adding water if needed.
3. Remove bay leaves from saucepan. Drain farro in colander if necessary.
Instructions for Salmon
1. Coat pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place salmon fllets in pan, cook on medium heat, turning frequently until
browned.
2. Steam caulifower until partially soft.
3. Remove salmon from pan leaving oils in pan. Coat pan with non-stick cooking spray and add mixture of caulifower,
carrots, cranberries, walnuts and red onions. Cook on low until heated throughout.
4. Mix farro with other cooked ingredients and place salmon on top. Salt to taste and serve.

With The Most important

Anti-Catabolic Amino Acid

Spaghetti Squash Shrimp Medley

Recipe Created by The Fit Mom Diet Team, Kim Miller and Shannon Dougherty, FitMomDiet.com
Photo Copyright Debby Wolvos, dw-photography.net
Ingredients
1 Spaghetti Squash
4 oz. Jumbo Prawn Shrimp
1 large Chopped Vine Ripe Tomato
1 Chopped Green Pepper
1 Chopped Yellow Pepper
1 tbs. Olive Oil
2 tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbs. of Salsa
Fresh basil
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise, remove
seeds and place face down in a baking pan.
3. Add cup of water to bottom of pan and bake
squash for approximately 45 minutes.
4. Once cooled, separate strands by running a fork
through squash until you achieve the spaghetti look.
5. On stovetop, place shrimp and olive oil in a pan
and warm. Add vegetables, salsa and balsamic vinegar and saut until mixture is cooked and shrimp is pink throughout.
6. Add vegetable and shrimp mixture to spaghetti squash. Top with fresh basil and serve.

The benefts of omega-3 fatty acids are plentiful and the

best sources are found in fatty fsh. However, other sources exist
including nuts, seeds, beans, spinach, mangoes, papayas and
bananas. Supplements are also a source of omega-3 fatty acids,
such as Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Essential Omega, a
unique blend of the omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids.

For more information or to find the store nearest you, visit us online at

maxmuscle.com

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014

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