By Irene Hayton

For years we’ve been told by nutritionists to include fish in our diets, but recent reports on the mercury content in fish has left many of us confused about this subject, so here are some general guidelines.

Large, old fish and fish that live in waters polluted with mercury have been known to accumulate high levels of mercury, so these should be avoided. These include fish that are at the top of the food chain which have the highest levels of mercury, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish (also known as golden snapper). Smaller, younger fish such as wild salmon, canned “light” tuna, etc. are generally safe to eat in moderation. Pregnant and breast-feeding women should consult with their doctors about including fish in their diets.

Studies show that eating ocean fish increases a person’s intake of selenium and selenium from fish has been shown to reduce the toxicity of mercury that these fish may have accumulated. Choose wild salmon over farmed salmon—farm-grown varieties may contain PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), dioxins, growth hormones, and antibiotics and they generally have less of the beneficial omega-3 essential fatty acids compared to wild salmon.