salmon

[pqb57]

I love eating salmon any way you can fix it. I have been hearing on tv and the radio that naturally caught salmon has too much mercury and that farm raised salmon isn't good for you because of unhealthy conditions in the ponds. What is a person to do?

[Geoff]

I love eating salmon any way you can fix it. I have been hearing on tv and the radio that naturally caught salmon has too much mercury and that farm raised salmon isn't good for you because of unhealthy conditions in the ponds. What is a person to do?

I would'nt be overly concerned, pqb. Mercury advisories generally caution against consumption by small children pregnant women, but otherwise you'd have to eat a whol lotta fish to develop a problem.

I try to keep risks in perspective, like the risk of driving a car or being hit by lightning. These are probably greater risks for me than the chance of getting mercury poisoning.

Here's some practical advice from the FDA:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html

Now grill yourself up some salmon, and relax!

[annymoll]

Hi fellas- I just eat the salmon. I think the risk for mercury poisoning is very small, not enough to worry about. It has health benefits that I would not want to pass up!!!Enjoy!( Never been in this shed before- just seeing what goes on out here.)

[Geoff]

Never been in this shed before- just seeing what goes on out here.)

...very little going on, evidently!

[Edna_E]

There are some dietary habits that help your body deal with such "poisons" in case you got an unusually contaminated one. Basically, your liver does the processing, so anything that supports liver function helps. I eat a lot of cruciferous veggies, and feel no fear of the salmon a few times a week. And, for what it's worth, I keep reading about all kinds of foods being contaminated, so you've got to eat something!

[Libby]

I eat a lot of cruciferous veggies,

Um....what kind of veggies are those again?

[redhead68]

Mercury is not a significant problem with salmon; however, it is in shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel. Mercury is also higher in albacore tuna than light tuna, so if you have a choice, go for the light, which is also the less expensive of the two. Hooray!

In salmon, it's PCB's, flame retardants, & dioxins that cause the most concern. There is a great deal of controversy about whether farmed or wild is more contaminated. In general, Copper River Sockeye, Puget Sound Chinook, and farmed salmon from the Faroe Islands show higher-than-average contamination levels. If the seafood case doesn't display the country of origin, ask the salesperson. No matter which you buy, remove the skin and the thin layer of fat underneath to reduce your exposure to contaminants, because that's where much of them accumulate. It won't completely rid your fish of chemicals, but it's a good start.

Please don't let this scare you away from consuming salmon, which is rich in heart-healthy, omega-3 fatty acids. Eating fish twice a week reduces your threat of heart disease by one-third, and it's delicious to boot!

Reference: Stewart, K.L. (2007). Eating Between the Lines. New York: St. Martin's Press.

[ravenmaniac]

All this info. makes my head spin. I would eat the salmon.

[Edna_E]

Sorry, shorty - I didn't see this until now. Cruciferous veggies are things like broccolli and cabbage (rough and kind of smelly - the rough part is what makes them work for scrubbing out your insides on the way through).

[Opal]

UMmmmm Salmon. We are having salmon patties tommorrow my recipe. Yum yum yummy.

[gentledenny]

I have also heard Salmon is very good for us. i also read, heard or dreamed that the wild salmon is the best. Whatever that means.... SO dont eat the mild salmon i guess?

[Luv2BeFrugal]

UMmmmm Salmon. We are having salmon patties tommorrow my recipe. Yum yum yummy.

I loooooooove salmon patties!! Can I come over? My mom makes 'em really good so she sets some aside for Dh and I to have at our place.

The salmon up here is wonderful!!