Can sufficient omega 3s be obtained from fish in the diet?
It is generally recommended that people eat 2 portions of fish per week, one of which should be oily fish e.g. mackerel, herring, tuna. While eating oily fish regularly would be a natural and healthy way to obtain omega 3s in the diet, contamination from common marine pollutants such as heavy metals, dioxins, pesticides, and PCBs has raised health concerns about these foods. Fish which are higher up the food chain like tuna, sea bass, shark, swordfish, and king mackerel are at greater risk of accumulating high levels of pollutants. Most recently, reported mercury contamination of many fish species has prompted food safety agencies in several countries to issue guidelines. Both the FSA (Food Standard Agency, UK) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration, US) advise pregnant and breast-feeding women to limit their intake of fresh and canned tuna, and avoid certain other fish altogether.
