When you eliminate red meat and poultry from your diet, you’re eating healthier, but there are hazards to eating fish and seafood as well. The harm that people and industry have done to the environment has had a direct effect on the fish and seafood we eat.

Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet because they contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, they’re low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids.

A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to a healthy heart and proper growth and development in children.  So, women and children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets for the many nutritional benefits.

However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury.

For most people, the risk from mercury from eating fish and shellfish is not a major health concern, but some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or a young child’s developing nervous system.  The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising pregnant women, women who may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

Is this anyway to eat?  Fearful of unhealthy elements in our food?

Eliminating red meat and eating a more vegetarian diet is an excellent start on the road to more healthy eating.  Eliminating fish and seafood is one of the final steps towards eating a complete vegetarian diet.  You’ll be rewarded with better health for making that change.