The Best of the Best Seafood Choices 2009 - Important for immune challenged & Seniors...

[1776Forever]

The Super Green List:

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_health.aspx

Seafood plays an important role in a balanced diet. It's often rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help boost immunity and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and other ailments. Omega-3s are especially important for pregnant and nursing women, and young children. Unfortunately, some fish carry toxins that can become harmful when eaten frequently.

*The Best of the Best: October 2009
Albacore Tuna (troll- or pole-caught, from the U.S. or British Columbia)
Mussels (farmed)
Oysters (farmed)
Pacific Sardines (wild-caught)
Pink Shrimp (wild-caught, from Oregon)
Rainbow Trout (farmed)
Salmon (wild-caught, from Alaska)
Spot Prawns (wild-caught, from British Columbia)

**Other Healthy "Best Choices"
Arctic Char (farmed)
Bay Scallops (farmed)
Crayfish (farmed, from the U.S.)
Dungeness Crab (wild-caught, from California, Oregon or Washington)
Longfin Squid (wild-caught, from the U.S. Atlantic)
Pacific Cod (longline-caught, from Alaska)

Good for You, Good for the Oceans

Combining the work of conservation and public health organizations, the Monterey Bay Aquarium has identified seafood that is "Super Green," meaning that it is good for human health and does not harm the oceans. The Super Green list highlights products that are currently on the Seafood Watch "Best Choices" (green) list, are low in environmental contaminants and are good sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

This effort draws from experts in human health, notably scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). The Monterey Bay Aquarium will continue to work with these organizations to balance the health and environmental attributes of seafood.

The Super Green list includes seafood that meets the following three criteria:

Low levels of contaminants (below 216 parts per billion mercury and 11 ppb PCBs)
The daily minimum of omega-3s (at least 250 milligrams per day )*
Classified as a Seafood Watch "Best Choice" (green)

Contaminants in Seafood

Seafood contaminants include metals (such as mercury, which affects brain function and development), industrial chemicals (PCBs and dioxins) and pesticides (DDT). These toxins usually originate on land and make their way into the smallest plants and animals at the base of the ocean food web. As smaller species are eaten by larger ones, contaminants are concentrated and accumulated. Large predatory fish—like swordfish and shark—end up with the most toxins. You can minimize risks by choosing seafood carefully. Use our Super Green list and learn more about contaminants in seafood on the EDF website.

[Warpy]

1. I can't believe tuna is on the list and pollock isn't

Pollock is a mild, white fleshed fish that's fairly low on the food chain and less likely to contain a large concentration of nasty chemicals. It's also abundant and relatively cheap.

When I was dirt poor, pollock was my once a month treat.

[1776Forever]

2. Check this page out from their site - it has some more information.....

on which seafood to Avoid, Best Choices, and Alternative. And also remember there a many types of tuna - make sure you know which one you are consuming. Hope that helps.

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_alternatives.aspx

[Warpy]

3. Thanks, I live in the desert

and the only fish available that's palatable is frozen, the best of it processed and flash frozen on the boat.

We get some fish flown in, but to an old Bostonian, it's just too old to eat. Little of it is identified beyond general species, anyway, and none is identified by harvesting method. Some is identified as farmed versus wild.

The chart is an interesting one, though, thanks for the link.

[Xipe Totec]

4. Shellfish increases risk of diabetes

Eating white and oily fish regularly may provide protection against type 2 diabetes, but eating shellfish may have the opposite effect, a study from the UK hints.

The study team noted about 25 percent less risk type 2 diabetes among men and women who reported eating one or more, as opposed to fewer, servings of white or oily fish each week.

Unexpectedly, however, they found that men and women who ate similar amounts of shellfish -- primarily prawns, crab, and mussels -- had about 36 percent increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

But "it may not be the 'shellfish' per se which increased the risk for diabetes," Dr. Nita Forouhi, of Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, noted in an email to Reuters Health.

Rather, the cooking and preparation methods used in the UK, for example, oils used when frying or butter- and mayonnaise-based sauces served with shellfish, may increase cholesterol intake which, in turn, may raise diabetes risk.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_90910.html

[1776Forever]

6. Thank you - very interesting article and info!

I have hypothyroidism and I almost died from eating grouper that was caught in the Atlantic because of the chemicals it had in it. I cannot eat any shell fish either.

:hi:

[msongs]

5. after you have exterminated all the "sea food" what will you eat? nt

[Xipe Totec]

7. Soylent green. what else? n/t

[wuvuj]

8. the 3 safest and easiest to find...for now are....

* canned chunk tuna (2 cans a week)

* sardines

* alaskan salmon in a can


Humans are edible...just need to soak them in brine for a good while... Wild caught are best...just run around the woods and yell a lot.

[flvegan]

9. "Good for You, Good for the Oceans" What crap.

We're already seeing the results of overfishing. And those vital omega-3s? You can get that elsewhere.

Super Green indeed.