Unravelling The Myth About Fish
We have written about the problems with eating fish in the past and our eBook, Let’s Keep Fish in the Sea, gives lots of details, but it’s worth addressing again.
It is amazing the number of people who still believe that eating fish is not only healthy but is a good environmental choice. One of the narratives that is commonly raised is that it is a healthy alternative to mammal meat or chicken. Some even relate to it as a health food. Self–described pescatarian diets have become the rage. They claim that it is the healthiest diet, nothing could be further from the truth.
The need for animal-sourced protein has been disproven by hundreds of scientific studies. This is in addition to the fact that fish are one of the most polluted foods available. People who are committed to eating an organic, chemical-free diet will often consume fish while the levels of chemical pollution in the ocean are critical. This pollution is comprised of industrial toxins, agricultural runoff, air pollution and consumer plastics. This is the sea that all aquatic life must live in and feed on.
What About Cholesterol?
Regarding the proposed health benefits of fish on cholesterol, those attempting to lower their cholesterol might like to know that three ounces of shrimp contains over twice the amount of cholesterol as the same serving as a T–bone steak. Between 15 and 30% of the fat in fish is saturated depending on species and over 50% of the calories in salmon comes from fat.
The Omega 3 fats, so prized in some dietary regimes, fail to mention that the vegetable sources are richer in alpha-linolenic acid, the only essential omega-3 that our bodies need. These healthy fats can be found in chia seeds, walnuts, soybeans, greens such as kale, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts as well as sea vegetables. Please view our advisory board member Dr Tim Radak's excellent interview on nutrition that covers omega fats in an easy-to-understand fashion.
Fish Farming
Because of the dwindling stocks of ocean fish, fish farming has grown rapidly all over the world. Driven by the myth of animal protein requirements, it is a major growth industry. Soon it will outproduce poultry production because it is cheaper. Anyone who thinks that farmed fish are a healthy choice should visit a fish farm and observe where the fish live and eat. The waters are filthy and filled with excrement, and the fish must be given regular doses of antibiotics to keep down the rates of infection.
The use of fish is generally driven by the stubborn resistance to the belief that flesh, some kind of flesh, is needed to be healthy. Eating a diverse wholefood plant-based vegan diet provides all the nutrition essential for a healthy life. An added advantage is that we are not contributing to the decimation of life in the ocean. It’s a win-win decision.
In good health
