Recent news concerning the quantities of mercury found in certain breeds of fish (including Swordfish, Mackerel & some types of Tuna) has caused a stir amongst the healthy eating community. Many are concerned that the presence of mercury within some fish poses a serious threat to our health and that we should try to reduce our overall fish consumption to minimise our risk. But is it actually true that eating fish will increase our chances of mercury poisoning?

Below I will explain why these fears are overblown and, with the exception of a very small number of fish species, why most fish is perfectly safe (& healthy) for people at all stages of life.

The Role Of Selenium

Science has demonstrated the role of selenium in the prevention of mercury poisoning. Several studies published over the last 50 years have consistently shown the ability of selenium to counteract the negative effect of excess mercury exposure.

The way selenium is able to have this impact cannot be explained before a quick lesson on mercury’s effects on the body. Mercury deactivates certain enzymes in the body called selenoenzymes. They are extremely important to our brain health, as they have been shown to help prevent (and even reverse) the oxidative damage in our brain. These enzymes, as the name would suggest, are extremely dependent on selenium to function properly. Science has recently come to understand that mercury causes damage to us through binding to the selenium in our bodies, thereby interfering with the selenoenzyme function. Essentially, mercury’s ability to bind to selenium and prevent it from performing key functions in the brain is the main reason why we are often told to avoid excess mercury exposure.

However, as long as you are eating enough selenium to cover your mercury exposure, there is nothing to worry about. If you’re thinking this requires taking selenium supplements every time you eat fish, think again! As we can see from the infographic below, most types of fish naturally contain much more selenium than mercury, and so mercury exposure is unlikely to ever be high enough to cause any damage.

Researching which species do not fit the profile of containing more mercury than fish, we see that pilot whale, shark, tilefish, king mackerel and swordfish are the exceptions.

Studies On Pregnant Women Have Shown Benefits To The Consumption Of Fish

Two major studies, one out of the Seychelles and one from the UK, both confirmed the idea that the consumption of seafood during pregnancy had showed no ill effects on the subjects, and the UK studying actually demonstrated significant benefits to high levels of maternal fish consumption during pregnancy. The researchers cited significant neurological impairment and developmental issues in the children whose mothers had not consumed significant quantities of seafood. These findings were further corroborated by a study out of the US, which found that consumption of seafood during pregnancy was associated with significant benefits for the children, both in motor development and IQ.

Fish Is Packed With Essential Nutrients Necessary For A Healthy Life

The vast majority of fish are incredibly healthy, with many species containing huge quantities of vitamins and minerals not easily found elsewhere in the diet. Firstly, fish is both high in protein and low in fat. White fish, such as flounder and sole, are lower in fat than almost any other source of animal protein. Additionally, oily fish, such as salmon and sardines, are extremely high in the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, which have a plethora of health benefits (I will write a separate post about this in the future, as this topic deserves more attention). These fish are also exceptionally high in hard-to-find nutrients such as Zinc, Selenium & Vitamins D & B12, all of which are key to your health. The list of health benefits, from heart-health to brain-health, just goes on. In later posts, I will try to go into these in more detail but for now, just make sure you get in your servings of fish!

I hope this information has helped calm your fears surrounding all the hype with mercury and fish consumption. Remember that fish, when consumed as part of a healthy balanced diet and supplemented with plenty of exercise and healthy levels of sleep, can be exceptionally beneficial to your health and there is no real reason to not include it in your meals!

If you have anything else to add on this topic, or there is anything in particular you’d like me to cover in future posts, please leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.