"mercury" news and stories

The Skinny Chef's Spicy Tuna Cups. Photo: Jennifer Iserloh

Making proper sushi rice and learning to roll your own takes a lot of practice. But even if you feel overwhelmed wrapping sushi, these little pickled cucumber cups are just the easiest thing to make and you can fill them with all sorts of tasty bites.

These nibbles are made from sushi grade tuna that I buy at The Lobster Place in the Chelsea Market in New York City. But if you don't have a great purveyor locally and aren't a fan of raw fish, you can always use the same amount of baked salmon. It works just as well in my recipe, although the texture will be firmer

So what's the deal with mercury?

Learn more about tuna and mercury and get Jennifer's Spicy Tuna recipe after the jump.

It is no longer news that Tuna is dangerously high in mercury. But, what's worth remarking is that tuna has remained off consumer watch lists for mercury toxicity due to the influence of the tuna industry on the FDA. The eco-blog Treehugger just commented on an article from Mother Jones uncovering why toxic tuna is still legal.

The article explains that tuna is a huge business in the U.S., and that it's the country's second most popular seafood. The FDA and US Department of Agriculture actually encourage school lunch programs and the federal food program for poor women and children to eat cans of tuna. They promote the fact that it's low in fat, high in protein, and contains lots of omega-3 fatty acids. If some canned tuna receives the American Heart Association seal of approval, can the fact that it has high levels of mercury be so bad?

The issue is that the doctors who flaunt the health benefits of tuna work within the industry. And, the truth is that the health benefits can not outweigh the health hazards of mercury, which over the long-term include damage to the heart, nervous system, and kidneys. The Mother Jones article tells the story of Deborah Landvik-Fellner, a woman who had been eating a can of albacore tuna for 12 years and ended up with shaky hands and a staggering gait. The scary thing about her lawsuit is that the FDA posed the biggest obstacle. After not eating tuna for a year, her symptons went away.

Recently, the news has been full of reports about the dangerous levels of mercury found in fish. For women in their childbearing years, this news is very concerning, especially coupled with reports that came out last year about how the oils in fish were really good for fetus development. So, do you eat fish or cut it out?

Luckily, there's web site that wants to help you make some sense out of the issue, at least when it comes to tuna fish. Simply punch your weight into the Tuna Calculator and it will give you a recommended weekly amount of tuna that you can safely consume. What will they think of next!

[via Parent Dish]

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We've all heard the warnings that pregnant women should steer clear of fish because of mercury concerns. The FDA recommends that pregnant and breast feeding women eat no more than 12 ounces of fish a week. Most of my pregnant friends have heeded that advice, giving up tilapia, salmon and trout almost entirely until their children are weened. However, the Washington Post reported today that a group of scientists from both the public and private sectors are planning to announce that they believe that pregnant women should eat AT LEAST 12 ounces of fish per week.

The issue comes down to mercury concerns verses nutrients in fish being excellent for brain development. Since the FDA issued the fish warning, mothers and mothers-to-be have dropped their fish intake to the point where they are no longer getting enough of the Omega-3 oils that are so helpful for baby development and the prevention of postpartum depression. So, what's the answer? At the present time, it's murky at best.

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The fatty acid Omega-3 has been the topic of discussion ranging from a treatment for prostate cancer to treatment of mood disorders. Although numerous wide-reaching studies have shown positive and negligible results, grants for studies and participants roll on.

Why? It has been proven that Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly as found in fish like mackerel (highest content/weight ratio) and salmon, prevent and aid those who have cardiovascular disease. When you start throwing the human heart into the fray of what's good for it, and there's a compound isolated proven to help keep it healthy, there will be no shortage of interest. What's good for the heart may good for all the heart supports: the brain, the rest of the vital organs, the health of our blood itself.

The problem with relying on fish for our daily intake of Omega-3 is that today's fish have much higher levels of mercury than those that our ancestors ate. So, where can you get your Omega-3?

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