Eating fish for omega-3 EPA / DHA

The ideal edible fish has fins and scales and swam free in open, unpolluted waters

"Net" amount of omega-3

Fish, particularly oily fish, are our main natural source of omega-3 today.   SInce intake of this essential fat is vital to maintaining health, it behooves us to be conscious of whether we are getting enough. 

Omega-3 content of a fish depends on what it eats.  Wild fish eat little fish and zooplanckton, farmed fish eat mainly plant proteins.

Farm-raised fish eat a man-made diet.   In previous years, sardines and anchovies were a major component of fishmeal, but as this source has been tapped out, producers have turned to using more GMO vegetable proteins, such as soybean and corn, which has reduced the formerly high omega-3 fat content and replaced it with omega-6 fat.

How much omega-3 in fish?

Ideally, we should be able to get EPA / DHA directly by eating wild oily, ocean or freshwater fish.    But theres a "Catch? ". . .

Are fish too toxic to eat? - "A Fine Kettle of Fish !"

Yes, industrial contaminants in most oceans and lakes have polluted our edible fish sources with such as methylmercury and pcbs.  However, there are still seas that are reasonably unpolluted, namely the Antarctic (Southern) ocean (near the south pole),  the Norwegian sea (off the west coast of Norway).

We can narrow down the choices to fish that contain less contaminants:

•   Don't eat the clean-up "crew".  Bottom-dwelling fish / seafood do a great job of cleaning the water.  They contain the toxins they absorbed.   The biblically "clean" fish are not members of the clean-up crew.

•   Lake trout and farm-raised fish in seawater pens tend to have more contaminants from toxic run-off

Are fish too toxic to eat?

Eat oily fish

Salmon can be considered a superfood.   The best choice for obtaining substantial amounts of omega-3 EPA / DHA.   Also, salmon contains every amino acid, vitamins D, A, E, B6, B12, niacin, riboflavin.

Good choices of WILD salmon for omega-3 EPA /DHA

The conclusion to this “Fish Tale”

Eat "something fishy" 2-3 times / week

Preferably eat a variety of only the“bible-clean” wild-caught fish from unpolluted water, favoring OILY, high omega-3 content fish. 

An adult serving size is about 4 - 8oz depending on bodyweight.

Fishes dishes

Steam, Bake or Broil.   These are the healthiest cooking methods to protect nutrients. Frying fish can lose much of the original EFA benefits, and can introduce trans fats.