Healthy Seafood Buyer’s Guide

Tips for choosing popular fish and seafood at the supermarket.

Do your body good—eat fish! Fish (and all seafood) is an excellent source of lean protein and is healthy for your heart because it contains so little saturated fat—the type of fat associated with heart disease. In addition, some types of fish, particularly cold-water species like salmon, tuna, sardines and trout, are rich in omega-3 fats docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Studies show that these omega-3 fats may reduce the risk of heart disease and may also provide other health benefits, such as helping to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and boost your mood.

To get the heart-health benefits from eating fish, the American Heart Association recommends that everyone aim for eating two servings of fish each week. However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say that, for most people, the risk of mercury from eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern; experts agree that for men and for women who won’t become pregnant, the benefits of eating fish a couple times a week far outweigh any risks associated with mercury. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system. The EPA and the FDA have developed specific guidelines for these groups.

Tilapia

A freshwater fish that originated in North Africa, tilapia can now be found at fish counters and on restaurant menus across the U.S., where its mild taste and light white meat have made it increasingly popular.

Best Choices for the Environment:
Look for U.S. farm-raised tilapia, which is usually grown in closed farming systems that limit pollution and prevent escapes of the farmed fish into the wild. Some Central and South American tilapia is farmed in this manner as well, but avoid tilapia from China and Taiwan, mostly farmed in open systems.

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