Who is concerned about mercury?

MED2012COLORADO

I would like to eat fish or tuna fish all the time because i love it! However since watching a documentary about mercury, i am freaked out Who believes the hype? or is it?...............How about you fish eaters are you concerned?

MED2012COLORADO

I am relieved and happy no one is concerned. I tend to over react when i hear stuff. The old saying dont believe everything you hear is true. I am going to eat some TUNA!!!! :drinker:

melsinct

Not all fish have the same levels of mercury. It is certainly nothing to be freaked out about. However, I certainly wouldn't be sucking down cans of albacore tuna a day either. Moderation in all things is key, as is knowing the difference between sardines and swordfish.

From NRDC:

LEAST MERCURY

Enjoy these fish:
Anchovies
Butterfish
Catfish
Clam
Crab (Domestic)
Crawfish/Crayfish
Croaker (Atlantic)
Flounder*
Haddock (Atlantic)*
Hake
Herring
Mackerel (N. Atlantic, Chub)
Mullet
Oyster
Perch (Ocean)
Plaice
Pollock
Salmon (Canned)**
Salmon (Fresh)**
Sardine
Scallop*
Shad (American)
Shrimp*
Sole (Pacific)
Squid (Calamari)
Tilapia
Trout (Freshwater)
Whitefish
Whiting

MODERATE MERCURY

Eat six servings or less per month:
Bass (Striped, Black)
Carp
Cod (Alaskan)*
Croaker (White Pacific)
Halibut (Atlantic)*
Halibut (Pacific)
Jacksmelt
(Silverside)
Lobster
Mahi Mahi
Monkfish*
Perch (Freshwater)
Sablefish
Skate*
Snapper*
Tuna (Canned
chunk light)
Tuna (Skipjack)*
Weakfish (Sea Trout)

HIGH MERCURY

Eat three servings or less per month:
Bluefish
Grouper*
Mackerel (Spanish, Gulf)
Sea Bass (Chilean)*
Tuna (Canned Albacore)
Tuna (Yellowfin)*

HIGHEST MERCURY

Avoid eating:
Mackerel (King)
Marlin*
Orange Roughy*
Shark*
Swordfish*
Tilefish*
Tuna (Bigeye, Ahi)*

HisPathDaily

Not concerned at all. It's so far away ... heck, even Venus is between us and it. But it is really hot, so I would be very concerned if you wanted to live there ... imagine that AC bill ... sheesh ...

deb3129

I acutally am concerned about it. I do not eat fish, but my hubby eats a lot of fish and I worry about it.

MED2012COLORADO

Not concerned at all. It's so far away ... heck, even Venus is between us and it. But it is really hot, so I would be very concerned if you wanted to live there ... imagine that AC bill ... sheesh ...

LOL Love it .

WendyTerry420

I would like to eat fish or tuna fish all the time because i love it! However since watching a documentary about mercury, i am freaked out Who believes the hype? or is it?...............How about you fish eaters are you concerned?

I am sure that i don't eat enough fish to be concerned. Once or twice a week will not cause problems. I have also heard that it's a good idea to eat cilantro with your fish. It will help push any heavy metals out of your body so that they don't cause issues.

MED2012COLORADO

Thank you so much for that list. Good to know. :flowerforyou:

ephemerata

i eat 2-6 cans of tuna per week. i watch myself for symptoms of mercury toxicity, but so far i've been fine. i've only exhibited one symptom, which is decrease in concentration, and i'd attribute that to a lower calorie diet and general distractability. so, honestly, i'm not super concerned, but i'm not flippant about it either.


here are the symptoms of chronic mercury toxicity:

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

irritability
anxiety/nervousness, often with difficulty in breathing
restlessness
exaggerated response to stimulation
fearfulness
emotional instability
-lack of self control
-fits of anger, with violent, irrational behavior
loss of self confidence
indecision
shyness or timidity, being easily embarrassed
loss of memory
inability to concentrate
lethargy/drowsiness
insomnia
mental depression, despondency
withdrawal
suicidal tendencies
manic depression

numbness and tingling of hands, feet, fingers, toes, or lips
muscle weakness progressing to paralysis
ataxia
tremors/trembling of hands, feet, lips, eyelids or tongue
incoordination
myoneural transmission failure resembling Myasthenia Gravis

Greenrun99

I have tuna for lunch alot of weekdays.. as well as some dinners I have salmon.. I also enjoy pigging out on sushi.. not really worried

taylor5877

I've eaten a can of tuna in front of a scientific poster session discussing levels of mercury in albacore and their health effects...

MED2012COLORADO

show previous quotes

I would like to eat fish or tuna fish all the time because i love it! However since watching a documentary about mercury, i am freaked out Who believes the hype? or is it?...............How about you fish eaters are you concerned?

I am sure that i don't eat enough fish to be concerned. Once or twice a week will not cause problems. I have also heard that it's a good idea to eat cilantro with your fish. It will help push any heavy metals out of your body so that they don't cause issues.

Thank you for the tip :happy:

sassi5

I am worried about it and dont eat fish that is high in it. I try and stay away from moderate as well. I love fish but I like my brain functions and eye sight more. Also I would, if I choose to have children one day, would like to have children with out birth defects caused my mercury. Generally larger fatty fish will have higher levels. The only one that really doesn't in that category is salmon. Its all around horrible for you. There is other fish you can eat. Plus tuna is over fished anyways and the whole industry is totally f-ed up anyways... why support it.

sarah3333

Holy cats! Where have I been? I have been eating 1 can of low sodium albacore tuna every day for over a year! Umm oops! I need protein, what are some low calorie protein options. : /

Shock_Wave

Not concerned at all. It's so far away ... heck, even Venus is between us and it. But it is really hot, so I would be very concerned if you wanted to live there ... imagine that AC bill ... sheesh ...

I agree I think it will be ok but its definitely the finest place for the GREATEST sun burn of all time.. :laugh:

Contrarian

I'm more concerned about Pluto. Pluto will always be a planet to me. **** those astronomers. As Pluto says, "Hey astronomers, your mom thinks I'm big enough."

EmilyOfTheSun

my coworker saw me eating tuna everyday. She told me that her brother ate TWO cans of tuna per day for like a few years and it caused him to start to lose his hair :-/

I don't eat it everyday anymore lol.

blacklaceroses

I eat it a lot being a pescatarian.

Thomasm198

Mercury?

Shock_Wave

I'm more concerned about Pluto. Pluto will always be a planet to me. **** those astronomers. As Pluto says, "Hey astronomers, your mom thinks I'm big enough."

I agree with this..:drinker:

RobynC79

Mercury, like many heavy metals, is concentrated as you move up through the food chain - so eating fish-that-eat-fish-that-ate-fish (etc!) gives you a higher exposure that eating fish lower on the food chain. However, unless you eat a lot of marine fish or have other reasons to limit your intake (if you are pregnant, for example) you most likely need not be overly concerned.

As a general rule (although there are now some emerging exceptions), fish that are higher up in the food chain (swordfish, tuna, sharks, etc.) are often not sustainably fished, so it's a good incentive to cut down your consumption of these species in general.

acpgee

A pescatarian girlfriend actually started eating meat recently because her dietician noticed that her mercury levels were alarmingly high. I guess if you eat a lot fish, try to stick to species low down on the food chain (with the exception of salmon, apparently). Ie avoid eating carnivores.

Shock_Wave

Mercury, like many heavy metals, is concentrated as you move up through the food chain - so eating fish-that-eat-fish-that-ate-fish (etc!) gives you a higher exposure that eating fish lower on the food chain. However, unless you eat a lot of marine fish or have other reasons to limit your intake (if you are pregnant, for example) you most likely need not be overly concerned.

As a general rule (although there are now some emerging exceptions), fish that are higher up in the food chain (swordfish, tuna, sharks, etc.) are often not sustainably fished, so it's a good incentive to cut down your consumption of these species in general.

Concentrated heavy metal rules :smokin:




BTW OP I am not concerned about mercury in foods.

MED2012COLORADO

THANK YOU! I learned a lot and had some laughs. The people on MFP rock!

Rocbola

I am not concerned about Mercury, but i am concerned about Mars. Once humans get ahold of a planet, things start getting a little crazy....

Rope_Jumper

show previous quotes

Not concerned at all. It's so far away ... heck, even Venus is between us and it. But it is really hot, so I would be very concerned if you wanted to live there ... imagine that AC bill ... sheesh ...

I agree I think it will be ok but its definitely the finest place for the GREATEST sun burn of all time.. :laugh:

After they declassified Pluto to a star, I was worried about some of the other planets as well. I'm over it now.lol

halobender

... I just came in here to make a joke about the planet.

Damnit.

... Damnit.

Well I'll give real response reply instead:

I vary on my concern. I don't eat nearly as much fish as I used to—I used to eat sushi at least once a week and then some salmon as well. I've heard that so little of it is in there that the average person has nothing to worry about. Honestly I kind of pick and choose the things I'll be concerned with, and I just love fish too much to be too concerned.