It used to be that eating seafood and fish regularly was a pretty safe nutritional bet. Fish was packed with protein, healthy monounsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, all those good things (read more about benefits of fish oil).
Unfortunately, due to our continued poisoning of the environment and the Fukushima power plant meltdown, many fish are now loaded with unsafe levels of mercury and radiation.All fish, every single fish on this planet, have some level of mercury; however, some have much higher levels than others.
Take a look at our list of the top 15 most contaminated fish on the market today. Avoid eating these or eat them in very small quantities, unless you are an expectant mother, in which case, avoid these fish entirely. However, we will list the best fish to eat at the end of this article, too, so keep reading!.
15Caviar
OK, so it’s not swimming yet, but fish eggs could be fish one day if left alone! Most of the caviar consumed in the US comes from wild caught sturgeon or beluga, which have been overfished for years. In fact, these species are also being threatened by an increase in the production of dams, which pollute the water in which these fish live.
All types of caviar come from fish that take many years to mature, which means the population take years to recover. Rather than consume imported caviar, read the labels and choose eggs that come from American Lake Sturgeon or Shovelnose (sometimes called American Hackleback) Sturgeon from the Mississippi river. Yes, even the eggs of contaminated fish contain chemicals, heavy metals, and pesticides.
You can reduce your risk of becoming contaminated by varying your seafood choices. When you do this, you minimize overexposure to any particular contaminant that one species might contain. Alternately, you could buy from a local fishery who buys direct from distributors. They can often answer questions about the fish or fish eggs that they are buying. A trusted source is always better than relying on a government agency when it comes to food safety.
