If only carrot can run…

A friend of mine is very conscious about her diet. Even though fish like salmon is packed with high nutrients like Omega-3, vitamin Bs and a great source of nutrient, she has kept it out of her diet! Reason being she is worried about the fish being contaminated by mercury!

However, there is a guideline that it is okay to consume no more than 12 oz of low mercury fish and it is alright to have three 6 oz of high-mercury-fish a month!

Here are some guidelines from the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC); data obtained by the FDA and the EPA.

Highest Mercury

AVOID Eating

Grouper
Marlin
Orange roughy
Tilefish
Swordfish
Shark
Mackerel (king)

High Mercury

Eat no more than three 6-oz servings per month

Bass saltwater
Croaker
Halibut
Tuna (canned, white albacore) See tuna chart below
Tuna (fresh bluefin, ahi)
Sea trout
Bluefish
Lobster (American/Maine)

LOWER MERCURY

Eat no more than six 6-oz servings per month

Carp
Mahi Mahi
Crab (dungeness)
Snapper
Crab (blue)
Herring
Crab (snow)
Monkfish
Perch (freshwater)
Skate
Cod*
Tuna (canned, chunk light)
Tuna (fresh Pacific albacore)

LOWEST MERCURY

Enjoy two 6-oz servings per week

Anchovies
Butterfish
Calamari (squid)
Caviar (farmed)
Crab (king)
Pollock
Catfish
Whitefish
Perch (ocean)
Scallops
Flounder
Haddock
Hake
Herring
Lobster (spiny/rock)
Shad
Sole
Crawfish/crayfish
Salmon
Shrimp
Clams
Tilapia
Oysters
Sardines
Sturgeon (farmed)
Trout (freshwater)