Is farmed fish just as healthy as wild fish?
Three to four portions of fish per week is healthy for most people. Whether farmed fish and wild fish are nutritionally equivalent is not addressed by the available studies.
Three to four portions of fish per week is what nutrition researchers recommend, alternating between white and oily varieties. Fish provides protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A and D, selenium, iodine and calcium. A review of 106 studies from Europe, Asia, North America and Africa shows that eating a varied range of fish brings more benefits than risks for most people. Yet more than 30% of people in Spain do not meet that recommendation, and consumption fell by more than 30% over the past fifteen years. High prices, bones and limited cooking knowledge all play a role.
For your heart, the benefits of oily fish are the clearest. In an analysis of fourteen studies involving 1,378 participants, blood fats fell by an average of 0.11 mmol/L and 'good' cholesterol rose by 0.06 mmol/L after eating herring, mackerel or salmon. No effect was found on 'bad' cholesterol. These are modest improvements, but they involve well-known risk factors for heart and circulatory disease.
Eating fish during pregnancy is especially valuable for your child's brain development. Strong signals from studies following large populations point to better neurological outcomes in children whose mothers ate fish during pregnancy; this is attributed to the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. However, pregnant women, breastfeeding women and young children should avoid swordfish, bluefin tuna, shark and pike entirely. These species contain so much methylmercury that they are harmful to the developing nervous system.
Methylmercury is also the biggest risk of eating fish for everyone else. It accumulates in fish high up the food chain, and fish is its main source in our diet. Eating a varied selection and avoiding the high-risk species keeps intake well below dangerous levels. Even so, an estimated five million fish eaters around the Great Lakes in the United States exceeded the safe consumption limit, with ethnic minorities overrepresented and less well informed about the guidance.
Is farmed fish just as good as wild fish? Available studies do not directly compare the two. What is known: wild fish is not automatically safer. Fish from polluted rivers can contain elevated levels of harmful chemical substances. Research into wild fish from the Penobscot River in the United States found levels that pose a possible health risk for people who regularly eat large quantities of it. Which option has the better nutritional profile remains unanswered for now.
Based on one review of 106 risk-benefit analyses, an analysis of 14 studies with 1,378 participants, one large-population review on pregnancy, two studies on contaminants and safety limits and two policy and nutrition overviews. A direct comparison of the nutritional profile of farmed fish versus wild fish is absent from the sources.
Is brown rice healthier than white rice?
Brown rice is more nutritious than white rice and produces a lower blood sugar spike, but only in its ordinary form, not the quick-cook version.
Is eating organic food really healthier?
Eating organic demonstrably leads to lower pesticide exposure and less contact with antibiotic-resistant bacteria through meat. Whether this translates into less disease in the long run remains unclear.
Is eating seaweed good for your health?
Eating seaweed regularly or taking it as a supplement has shown measurable benefits in people for blood pressure, blood sugar control, body fat and LDL cholesterol. The effects are modest but consistent, and strongest in people who already have an elevated risk.
Are smoothies and fresh juice just as healthy as whole fruit?
Whole fruit comes out ahead of fruit juice: more fibre, greater satiety, and fewer free sugars. Smoothies fall somewhere in between, but are not equivalent to whole fruit either.
Is fibermaxxing (eating as much fibre as possible) healthy?
Eating more fibre is well supported as healthy for most people, but overdoing it causes gastrointestinal complaints and no additional benefit has been demonstrated. Aim for 25 to 29 grams per day through regular food intake.
Is raw milk healthier than pasteurised milk?
Raw milk offers no proven health advantages over pasteurised milk, while its infection risk is considerably higher. For pregnant women, young children and people with weakened immune systems, the risk is large enough to warrant avoiding raw milk.