FISH – A GREAT NUTRITIONAL CATCHF I N D O U T A B O U T

THE SAFE TYPES OF FISH TO EAT,THE SAFE WAYS TO PREPARE FISH,

PLUS SPECIAL INFORMATION ON HOW EATING FISH CAN AFFECT

PREGNANCY.

Good Health is Catchingin Alabama!

FISH – A GREAT NUTRITIONAL CATCHF I N D O U T A B O U T

THE SAFE TYPES OF FISH TO EAT,THE SAFE WAYS TO PREPARE FISH,

PLUS SPECIAL INFORMATION ON HOW EATING FISH CAN AFFECT

PREGNANCY.

Good Health is Catchingin Alabama!

Get hooked on

FISH – A GREAT NUTRITIONAL CATCHFish and shellfish are an excellent source of protein,

vitamins, and minerals. Many fish are also high inomega - 3 fatty acids – which are believed to provideprotection from heart disease.

However, fish can become unhealthy to eat based on:

L the length of time they are exposed to harmfulsubstances in their habitat;

L the amount(s) of contaminant(s) in the foodthey themselves eat;

L and the bacteria and parasites they maycontain that are harmful to humans.

You can reduce your risk of health hazards that maybe involved in eating fish by knowing how to choose,store, prepare, and cook fish.

Both the American Heart Association andthe American Dietetic Association agreethat a healthy eating plan should includetwo servings of fish a week. To receive the

greatest nutritional benefit and reducehealth risks from fish, eat a variety in

moderate amounts.

FISH NUTRITIONSeafood total saturated(4oz. protein fat fat cholesterolcooked) calories (gm) (gm) (g) (mg)

bass 166 27 5 1 99catfish 170 21 9 2 72flounder 133 27 2 0.4 77ocean perch 137 27 2 0.4 61oysters 185 21 5 1 113salmon 245 31 12 2 99shrimp 95 20 1 0.3 183trout 170 26 1 0.3 183tuna, packed

in water 132 29 1 0.3 33whiting 116 24 1.7 0.4 84

Saturated fat, the kind of fat that raises cholesterollevels in people and increases risk of heart diseaseand stroke, is low in fish and seafood. Thecholesterol content of fish is generally similar tothat found in lean meat and poultry. Shellfish, whilesomewhat higher in cholesterol, are low insaturated fat so they are still considered a goodchoice when eaten in moderation.

LTHE SAFE TYPESOF FISH TO EAT

Fish may contain different kinds and levels ofcontaminants based on their location, their lengthof life, and their feeding habits.

For example, a fish that lives a longer life andis at the top of the food chain will have moretime to accumulate more mercury in its bodymuscle. Fish known as bottom feeders will bemore exposed to pesticides and PCBs, becausethese chemicals run off the land and settle to thebottom of waterbodies. These primarily depositin the fatty portions of the fish.

Fish bought at a store are usually farm-grown.Farm-grown fish have the least exposure to cont-aminants, because they are raised in tanks andother carefully controlled areas and are sold assoon as they reach the best size for eating.

Women who could become pregnant,who are pregnant, or who are nursing should be aware that

contaminants transferred through theuterus or through breast milk can

harm the development of their child.The following guidelines for pregnant women are

from the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group.

Safe for pregnant and nursing women: farmed trout,farmed catfish, shrimp, fish sticks, summer flounder, wildPacific salmon, croaker, mid-Atlantic blue crab, haddock.

Pregnant women should eat no more than one servingper month: canned tuna, mahi mahi, blue mussels,Eastern oysters, cod, pollock, Great Lakes salmon, wildchannel catfish, blue crab from the Gulf of Mexico.

Any woman considering pregnancy, already pregnant,or nursing should avoid these fish: shark, swordfish,king mackerel, tilefish, tuna steaks, sea bass, marlin,halibut, pike, walleye, white croaker, largemouth bass,sport fish caught from waterways with fish advisories.

1.THERE ARE THREE

PRIMARY CONTAMINANTSOF FISH:

Mercury is a toxic metal that naturally exists in low lev-els throughout air, water, soil, rocks, plant, animal, andhuman life. It also accumulates in fish muscle tissues.

Health risk: When mercury is present in food, it canbuild up in the body and cause damage to the nervoussystem and kidneys. Women who eat fish containingmercury before or during pregnancy risk causingdevelopmental and/or learning problems in children.

Risk reduction: Fish that live longer or that eat otherfish will contain more mercury than small fish orcrayfish. No cooking will reduce mercury levels; eatlong-lived fish such as bass or tuna in moderateamounts (two to three times per week in small tomedium portions – 3 to 4 ounces). If you are pregnantor nursing, avoid fish that usually contain highmercury levels or that are on the fish advisory list.

2.PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are chemicals thatwere created for use in electrical transformers, cuttingoils and hydraulic fluids, and carbonless paper. Whilebanned in the U.S. in 1979, they have remained in thesoil and tend to accumulate in the sediment at thebottom of lakes and streams when they reach water.

Health risk: High levels of PCBs have been linked toproblems with learning and short-term memory. PCBscan accumulate in breast milk, and it is importantthat nursing women eat a variety of animal foodsin moderation to avoid consumption of high ratesof PCBs.

Risk reduction: All animal fat is a source of storagefor PCBs, and so intake of fish fat and other animalfats should be reduced (see section on how to preparefish and safe amounts to eat). Bottom feeders such ascatfish, carp, buffalo fish, and sucker tend to have ahigher level of PCBs.

3.Pesticides found in fish in Alabama are mainlychlordane and DDT. These have either been dumpedinto the ground or the water or have run off the landwhere they have been used into the water.

Health risk: Chlordane can cause nervous systemand liver damage as well as cancer in experimentalanimals. DDT damages the liver and can harmreproductive, developmental, and nervous systems.Exposure to pesticides can damage a child'sdevelopment.

Risk reduction: Chlordane and DDT accumulate inthe fatty tissues of fish, so reduce intake of the fattyparts of fish.

FISH CONSUMPTION ADVISORIES:

L have no regulatory impact and are not laws tosay you cannot eat the fish; they only helpyou make a decision about eating fish caughtin some Alabama waters.

L are based on an examination of the level ofcontaminants in the fish by the AlabamaDepartment of Environmental Management.Because there are 77,000 miles of rivers andstreams in Alabama, ADEM can only do rep-resentative samplings. ADEM personnel col-lect at least six fish of each species from vari-ous watershed basins every five years. Thesefish are analyzed for 21 different materialsthat are known to be harmful when eaten andstored in various human body parts such asmuscle, fat, and organs where they may dam-age either development or function.

L are issued by the Alabama Department ofPublic Health after a review of the informa-tion provided by the ADEM samples. TheHealth Department issues two types ofadvisories:

A limited consumption advisory states thatwomen of reproductive age and children lessthan 15 years of age should avoid eating cer-tain types of fish from specific waterbodies.Other people should limit consumption to onemeal per month.

A no consumption advisory recommendsthat everyone should avoid eating certainspecies of fish in the defined area.

L are updated annually in the spring andwhenever any important changes are found.

L are available by calling 1-800-201-8208or on the Health Department website at www.adph.org

The Alabama Department of PublicHealth issues fish consumptionadvisories to help people decide

whether or not to eat a specific fishfrom a specific Alabama waterbody.

Continued on reverse.

THE SAFE WAYS TO PREPARE FISHFollow these simple guidelineswhen preparing fish and other

kinds of seafood:

Keep fish cold until ready to cook. Fish must bekept on ice or in the refrigerator to prevent spoil-ing. Store fish in the refrigerator within two hoursafter cooking or serving.

Eat only thoroughly cooked fish. Uncooked fishmay contain viruses and parasites that can makeyou sick.

Eat only the fillet portions of fish. Contaminantsthat may come from the environment can accumu-late in fatty tissues, especially when fish are large.Remove and discard the skin, guts, and liver.Filleting removes fat that is located in the bellyflaps and along the lateral line of the back.

Use low-fat cooking methods like broiling,grilling, poaching, and steaming. Let juicesdrain away from the fish as much as possible.Frying or adding butter and other rich saucesduring or after preparation takes away the hearthealth benefits of eating fish and adds manycalories.

Lateral line

NapeBelly flaps

Nape

Fillet

Part closest of head

Fat – Remove the fattydark meat along the entirelength of the filet

Remove all skin

Removeguts

Removethe belly

Removeall fat alongthe back

� Belly flaps� Nape� Sections closest to

head

� Dark red portions� Lateral line� Just under skin

Tail portions leanest

LOCATION OF FAT IN FISH

CA L L

1-800-201-8208OR V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E :

www.adph.org

A D P H - E P I - F I S H 1 - 5 / O 2 - ro

ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OFPUBLIC HEALTH