Hi Lisa2: Good question in that recent findings of toxic chemicals have been found in high concentrations and have been connected to fetal damage and the under-development of children's brains and can hurt adults as well. Researh in Finlad is pointing to cardiovascular disease as an adult risk from consuming fish with high mercury levels. It appears that methyl mercury damages hear muscle.
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to pregannt and nursing women to avoid high risk speciese such as tuna, swordfishm shark, tilefish, king mackerel and recreationally caught fish. Other toxins also exist in fish such as the chemical pollutants, PCBs and dioxins. SO be sure to know the waters from whence your fish was caught.
The safest to eat varieties of fish include farm-raised trout, catfish, as well as shrimp, flounder and wild-caught Pacific salmon, croaker, haddock and mid-Atlantic blue crab. The FDA recommends up to 12 ounces per week of cooked fish including shellfish, some canned fish, smaller ocean fish and farm-raised fish. The most toxic fish are caught in polluted waters and fish that are eating at the higher levels of the food chain.
Fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and b-12 and is high in iron, zinc, magnesium and phosphorous as well as other minerals and vitamins. It is easier to digest than meat or poultry. You may also want to consider buying frozen fish (I can hear the seers from the ridgid macro camp...) that choose eco-friendly varieties. You can check out more about ecofish by going to
www.ecofish.com
Happy fishing.
In peace, Roy