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Fish is a valuable food product, in any case, we used to think so. But, despite the high content of protein, phosphorus, valuable unsaturated fatty acids, some varieties of fish will be more dangerous for the body than useful.
Recently, there has been a tendency to talk about fish as an extra product in the diet. It is called a "sea filter", a "sponge" that absorbs toxins and dangerous substances that then enter the human body. In fact, there are only a few types of fish that can absorb and store toxic compounds in their bodies. Therefore, the hysteria around the product is not justified, and it is worth including fish in the diet as often as before (preferably at least twice a week).
Here are seven dangerous sea creatures to avoid.
1. Pangasius
This fish is not accidentally called garbage. It is bred in the waters of the Mekong River, which is officially called the most polluted river on the planet. The history of its ecological catastrophe began during the Vietnam War, and today fecal effluents and household waste are massively dumped into its waters.
Pangasius has an amazing survival rate. It can live and breed where even algae die. But even this unpretentious fish does not withstand environmental conditions. Therefore, it is “nourished” with biologically active additives, and of course, stimulate growth with hormones.
2. Tiled
Or golden perch. When fresh, this fish is very attractive, its body color is pink with a golden hue. In cooking, it is used whole, even with scales, which are considered a delicacy (the scales are fried to a crisp and eaten like chips).
But the amazing taste and delicacy of the crunch of the scales completely negates the ability of this fish to accumulate mercury. In terms of mercury contamination, the tile is in the honorary top five fish of the world's oceans.
3. Shark
If you decide to try the delicious shark meat, think 10 times if you need it. No, it's not that sharks eat anything and even tin cans are found in their stomachs. And not that the population of marine predators is decreasing year by year, as people began to massively catch and eat sharks.
The reason for the wary attitude towards this fish should be the presence of mercury in its meat. Predators eat other fish, including tilers, bigheads, which accumulate toxic compounds, and become toxic themselves.
4. Bluefin tuna
Tuna meat is often sold dried, with beer (although there is every reason to doubt that that fish straw is not made from tuna at all). And his fishing is one of the most profitable ways for American fishermen to earn money. Each carcass of this fish is bought by cafes and restaurants, so the bluefin tuna on the store counter is a real event. And this oceanic delicacy costs much more than hake and pollock.
But here you should not buy it, despite the exquisite taste and beauty of fish steaks. Bluefin tuna is a large, long-lived fish. And during her life she manages to accumulate so much mercury that doctors warn about the dangers of using it more than twice a month. Therefore, fish straws for beer should not be bought often. What if it really is made of tuna?
5. King mackerel (mackerel)
Mackerel is one of the healthiest fish due to its high fat content. But one of the varieties - royal, due to its large size, accumulates mercury, therefore it cannot be eaten. But you can’t find king mackerel on store shelves in Russia, and this is fortunately.
We sell its absolutely safe relative, Atlantic mackerel, which can and should be included in the diet.
6. White tuna
Dangerous not because of mercury, but because of the specific meat. At first glance and taste, it is surprisingly tender and juicy. But if you eat it often, the digestive system can fail. The meat of white tuna contains an oily substance escolar, which our body cannot digest. It causes persistent diarrhea, the causes of which can be extremely difficult to find.
7. Red Snapper
This fish is found in tropical waters, and in Russia it is considered an exquisite delicacy. A kilogram of red snapper costs more than two thousand rubles, it is not served in cafes and restaurants of an average price level. But this is not bad, since the red snapper did not get on the pedestal of expensive food at all because of its exceptional properties.
It's just that this is a rare fish for Russia, which is brought from afar. And its meat is more harmful than useful: omega-6 predominates in the composition of fatty acids, high concentrations of which disrupt the liver. There are practically no useful omega-3s in the snapper.