Fish can serve as a power food … or an absolute inflammatory, toxic nightmare for your body. It all depends on what fish you choose. That why it’s so important to pay attention to (and avoid) the fish you should never eat.
Let’s take a look at fish you should never eat, plus healthier options.
Fish You Should Never Eat
1. Tilapia
Wake Forest University School of Medicine researchers say tilapia is one of the most widely consumed fish in America. The problem with that? It contains very low levels of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and, perhaps worse, very high levels of omega-6 fatty acids. That means the natural fish oil benefits found in this fish are not likely adequately boosting your omega 3s.
2. Atlantic Cod
Although the female cod releases more than a hundred millions of eggs, only a few are able to survive to adulthood. According to Oceana, scientists agree that North Atlantic food webs have fundamentally changed as a result of the Atlantic Cod collapse, and the species is currently considered vulnerable to extinction.
3. Atlantic Flatfish (Atlantic halibut, flounder and sole)
Due to historical overfishing and contamination levels, it’s best to leave these fish in the sea. While some organizations say Pacific halibut is a better option, there are some issues with that.
4. Caviar
Beluga sturgeon are ancient fish that are highly sought for their fish eggs, aka caviar. In fact, this fish grows to be very large and can live to be 100 years old. According to Oceana, the fish that produces this prized caviar is in major trouble: It is completely gone from several seas/rivers in which it used to live, and scientists fear that it is critically
5. Chilean Seabass
Actually named the Patagonia toothfish, seafood distributors started marketing this deep-sea predator fish as “Chilean seabass” because it sounded less intimidating. It worked. Now common on menus around America, Chilean seabass overfishing has left this species in serious trouble.
6. Eel
Aside from overfishing problems, eels tend to readily absorb and store contaminants like endocrine disruptors like PCBs and flame retardants. In certain states like New Jersey, river eels are so contaminated even a grown man is advised to eat no more than one eel a year.
7. Farmed Salmon (Atlantic or Wild-Caught)
Most salmon marketed as “Atlantic” salmon is farmed, meaning fish are raised in conditions that have been shown to be ridden with pesticides, feces, bacteria and parasites.
8. Imported Basa/Swai/Tra/Striped Catfish (Often Labeled “Catfish”)
These are popping up as trendy new menu items all over America, but what you’re likely getting is a fish called pangasius, a fish that wholesales for $2 a pound. I consider this the #1 filthiest fish on the menu.
A 2016 study found 70 to 80 percent of pangasius samples were contaminated by Vibriobacteria — the microbes behind most cases of shellfish poisoning. Raw or undercooked pangasius, the authors warned, could pose a hazard to consumers.
9. Imported Farmed Shrimp
Is shrimp good for you? When it comes to farmed shrimp, which accounts for about 90 percent of the shrimp we consume, the answer is a resounding “no.” And given shrimp accounts for a whopping 30 percent of all seafood we import, and the fact that Americans eat about 4 pounds of it a year, it’s important to learn the facts.
10. Imported King Crab
Because you should avoid imported king crab at all costs, be really sure of where those crab legs came from before you order them. If the label makes claims like “imported” and “Alaskan,” something is clearly wrong.
11. Orange Roughy
One of the longest living marine fish species, orange roughy can live to be 150 years old. Generally known as slimehead in the scientific community, seafood marketers had other ideas for this fish and gave the species a more appetizing name. The end result was a severely overfished species.
12. Shark
Most shark species, which are slow to mature and don’t have a lot of offspring, are severely depleted.
13. Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
A highly sought-after sushi ingredient, it’s best to say no thanks to this menu item. Atlantic bluefin tuna lands on the fish you should never eat land for a few reasons. First, it’s been overfished to the point of near extinction. But due to its high demand for sushi, fisheries managers are still allowing commercial fishing to target it.
14. Swordfish
Mercury is the main concern when it comes to avoiding swordfish.
15. King Mackerel
Mackerel is certainly packed with healthy omega-3s. But when it comes to certain types of mackerel, you could be getting more than you bargained for. That’s certainly the case with king mackerel — the Food an Drug Administration warns women and children to outright avoid it.
16. Grouper
Grouper is on the list when it comes to fish you should never eat due to high mercury levels. This species is also highly vulnerable to overfishing, so it’s best to take a pass when you see it on the menu.
17. Sturgeon
As I shared in the caviar section, Beluga sturgeon are especially targeted for their eggs. But other sturgeon are at risk, too.
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