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Fish Benefits Outweigh Risk
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The information surrounding the health risks and benefits of fish consumption has often been conflicting. Fortunately a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that the cardiac health benefits of moderate fish consumption outweigh the cancer risk by a factor of hundreds to thousands.
To better understand the effect of fish on heart disease, the researchers thoroughly reviewed the scientific literature and performed their own statistical analyses.
The results of the analyses show that the consumption of 2 servings per week of heart healthy fish- such as salmon, herring, and anchovies - reduce the risk of heart disease by 36% and the risk of a heart attack in those with heart disease by nearly 20%. This lowering in the rate of developing a heart attack is similar to the effect achieved by taking a powerful type of cholesterol lowering drug called statins.
Fish contain PCBs that are known to be carcinogenic. The researchers showed that eating fish can increase the number of deaths from cancer by 24 per 100,000. But it prevents over 7,000 deaths from heart disease. Trimming belly and back fat off fillets and discarding the skin can lower PCBs by up to 40%.
In addition, some fish can also contain high mercury levels, which can be harmful to nerves. Fish such as tuna, swordfish and shark have the highest levels of mercury. Over consumption of these fish should be avoided, especially in women of childbearing age as it can cause behavioral and neurologic problems.
Overall, the benefit of eating fish (one to two servings per week) dramatically overshadowed the risks among adults, with exception of women of childbearing age.
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