What’s The Safest Seafood For Your Paleo Diet?

I grew up with Washington State’s Puget Sound practically in my backyard, so fish – especially wild-caught salmon – has always been a big part of my diet since I was a tadpole… 

For all you paleo seafood lovers like me, you should take a minute to look over the Environmental Working Group’s Consumer Guide to Seafood that rates the best and the worst fish and shellfish choices based on their independent research.

This summer, the federal Food & Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency issued new fish consumption guidelines aimed primarily at pregnant women and nursing moms encouraging them to eat more fish – eight to 12 ounces per week of a “variety of seafood types.”

As you probably know, many varieties of fish are rich in “good fats,” especially polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids. The two most common, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), have been proven to reduce inflammation and the severity of heart and retinal diseases. Studies have also shown moms who ate low-mercury seafood during pregnancy tend to give birth to children with better functioning brain and nervous systems – their kids scored two to six points higher on intelligence tests than children of moms who ate little or no fish during their pregnancy (Oken 2005). [av_sidebar widget_area=’Lockerdome’ av_uid=’av-2dll1ep’]

A diet rich in omega-3s has also been shown to lower blood triglycerols, reduced arrhythmias, and lessen the chance of sudden death from heart disease (USDA 2010). Plus fish and shellfish are high in protein and are a good source of iodine, vitamin D and selenium – nutrients often lacking in the traditional Western diet.

In an effort to clarify which seafood offers the best nutrition with the least amount of risk, the Environmental Working Group organization came up with a list of recommendations based on their independent research into the government’s data.

Choosing which fish to feed your family is definitely a balancing act – you want the highest levels of healthy omega-3 oils you can get while avoiding those species often found to contain higher levels of mercury.

The EWG seafood guide helps sort this all out with advice on which fish is best for you, what species you should consume less of, and which you’d be wise to avoid altogether.

Their report is more detailed, but I’ve summarized the main findings here for you so you can make smarter paleo seafood choices for you and your family.

[av_table purpose=’pricing’ caption=” responsive_styling=’avia_responsive_table’ custom_class=” av_uid=’av-2bxom8h’] [av_row row_style=’avia-heading-row’ av_uid=’av-298l8wh’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-28a0e35′]SPECIES[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-7x8bc1′]SERVING SUGGESTION[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-25ox1xt’]BENEFITS/RISKS[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-23gx1dt’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-2142c8x’]Wild Salmon • Sardines • Mussels • Rainbow Trout • Atlantic Mackerel [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-20dbc1d’]1-2 four-ounce servings a week[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1xvr3i9′]Exceptional levels of omega-3 fatty acids with the lowest levels of mercury[/av_cell][/av_row] [/av_table]

[av_hr class=’short’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ custom_class=” av_uid=’av-1wr9enl’]

[av_table purpose=’pricing’ caption=” responsive_styling=’avia_responsive_table’ custom_class=” av_uid=’av-1ue5pg1′] [av_row row_style=’avia-heading-row’ av_uid=’av-1t0bq41′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1s1w875′]SPECIES[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1pya6dd’]SERVING SUGGESTION[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1ox6fy9′]BENEFITS/RISKS[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-1m99ie9′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1kp39gx’]Oysters • Anchovies • Pollock • Herring[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1j97z8x’]One four-ounce serving supplies 25 percent or more of the recommended weekly intake of omega-3. Three four-ounce servings per week suggested [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1h73apt’]Favorable concentration of omega-3 fats with a low risk of mercury[/av_cell][/av_row] [/av_table]

[av_hr class=’short’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ custom_class=” av_uid=’av-1fpc2i9′]

[av_table purpose=’pricing’ caption=” responsive_styling=’avia_responsive_table’ custom_class=” av_uid=’av-1exoww1′] [av_row row_style=’avia-heading-row’ av_uid=’av-1cswfa9′][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-1bq8bjl’]SPECIES[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-19ignwx’]SERVING SUGGESTION[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-17x9z9d’]BENEFITS/RISKS[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-16phrfl’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-3zu2vl’]Shrimp • Catfish • Tilapia • Clams • Scallops • Pangasius [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-12ldbu9′]An adult would need to consume anywhere from five to 20 four-ounce servings to meet the omega-3 recommendation for pregnant women and people with heart disease[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-11vior5′] Low on beneficial omega-3 fats. However, these species are still healthy sources of protein and other beneficial nutrients and generally contain low levels of mercury[/av_cell][/av_row] [/av_table]

[av_hr class=’short’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ custom_class=” av_uid=’av-106sh1t’]

[av_table purpose=’pricing’ caption=” responsive_styling=’avia_responsive_table’ custom_class=” av_uid=’av-xniiap’] [av_row row_style=’avia-heading-row’ av_uid=’av-w1mbfl’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-udctkx’]SPECIES[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-tlmnxt’]SERVING SUGGESTION[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-rny3ap’]BENEFITS/RISKS[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-qb8map’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-o50wk1′]Tuna – Canned Light and Albacore • Halibut • Lobster • Mahi Mahi • Sea Bass[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-msn081′]The quantity of these fish that can safely be consumed depends on your age, weight and health status according to the EWG [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-k67noh’]Due to the higher levels of mercury generally found in these fish, these species should not be part of a regular diet for pregnant women or children[/av_cell][/av_row] [/av_table]

[av_hr class=’short’ height=’50’ shadow=’no-shadow’ position=’center’ custom_border=’av-border-thin’ custom_width=’50px’ custom_border_color=” custom_margin_top=’30px’ custom_margin_bottom=’30px’ icon_select=’yes’ custom_icon_color=” icon=’ue808′ font=’entypo-fontello’ custom_class=” av_uid=’av-jraqz5′]

[av_table purpose=’pricing’ caption=” responsive_styling=’avia_responsive_table’ custom_class=” av_uid=’av-hf9781′] [av_row row_style=’avia-heading-row’ av_uid=’av-fiix5d’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-dfzvn5′]SPECIES[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-18h9g1′]SERVING SUGGESTION[/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-a9s2y9′]BENEFITS/RISKS[/av_cell][/av_row] [av_row row_style=” av_uid=’av-8nzj9d’][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-6tnmr5′]Shark • Swordfish • Tilefish •  King Mackerel • Marlin •  Bluefin/Bigeye Tuna •  Orange Roughy [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-5hz8mp’]Generally high levels of mercury…should never be consumed by pregnant women and children, according to EWG’s analysis and federal government warnings [/av_cell][av_cell col_style=” av_uid=’av-3qk59t’]Everyone else should eat these species infrequently or not at all [/av_cell][/av_row] [/av_table]

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