Mercury rising
Written by Rachel Berman
What better day than Earth Day to address one of our food supply’s biggest environmental concerns: mercury. You’ve probably heard a lot about it in the news, and while it can be scary, don’t let it keep you away from eating fish. Low in saturated fat and high in omega-3s , it’s too important a part of your diet to cut out. Instead, know the facts.
Mercury from industrial pollution falls from the air into our streams and oceans, where it turns into methylmercury, and is absorbed by fish in different quantities. Tuna does have a fairly high mercury level , but it’s not the highest — that distinction falls to tilefish, shark, swordfish, and mackerel. We just hear a lot about tuna because it’s such a popular fish.
No matter what type of seafood you savor, there’s one way to tell how safe it is: the Safe Harbor seal of approval. Safe Harbor started testing the mercury levels of fish nearly 10 years ago with revolutionary technology. And their standards are strict — the fish that carry the seal are guaranteed to be low in mercury. Currently, their lighthouse logo can be found peppering the seafood aisles in the Haagen Markets and Top Foods grocery chains on the west coast, or at the online retailer, Seafoods.com. To help spread the love, log onto Safe Harbor’s website to send a request to your local grocer urging them to get on the low-mercury bandwagon. While you’re there, check out Safe Harbor’s standards — they test more seafood than any other company or agency in the world.
Besides the negative impact mercury consumption has on children’s brain development and the health risks it poses to women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, the long-term effects are unclear. But by looking for this seal and requesting that your favorite retailer carry it, you’re making a statement that you will not accept pollution in your food supply. Every voice counts when it comes to our environment — make yours heard today!
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