Recently I found myself wondering more about the differences between wild and farmed fish. Wild fish often costs much more. Is it worth the extra money?
I have taken an in-depth look at the research and summarized what I have learned below. My hope is that next time you’re purchasing fish, you are more able to make the choice that right for you.
Aside from taste, most people consume fish as a source of healthy proteins and fats as well as a variety of other micronutrients. Omega-3 fatty acid is likely the most sought-after health benefit from fish consumption. It is reported to lower the risk of heart disease, depression, dementia, and arthritis. Your body can’t make omega-3s; this healthy fat must be obtained from eating omega-3 containing foods or via supplementation.
Which fish then should you consume to maximize omega-3 intake? Does wild versus farmed have an impact on the health value?
The Bottom line
Consume omega-3 rich fish 1-2 times a week if possible – salmon, mackerel, rainbow trout and/or herring is my recommendation. Wild has an advantage in terms of fewer contaminants and possibly higher omega-3 concentration. Try to avoid large mercury-containing fish as a regular part of your diet, namely king mackerel, swordfish, marlin, bluefin tuna, and orange roughy.
The Details
Wild-caught fish are often healthier, with less contamination from man-made toxins because they feed on a natural diet of smaller fish and algae and come into contact with less bacteria and parasites. The downside is that many larger wild fish are high in mercury, a naturally occurring toxic metal that bioaccumulates in large fish. Repeated and higher levels of ingestion can produce harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems as well as the lungs and kidneys, thus best to avoid ingesting high-level mercury fish on a regular basis.
The concern with farm-raised fish is that they can have more contamination from toxic industrial chemicals, such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and dioxins. Additionally, they are often raised in crowded conditions and contain higher rates of bacteria, pesticides, artificial colouring, antibiotics, and parasites. The good news is that many farmed fish are now grown in a way that’s better for the environment and healthier for us. It is hoped these healthier methods will become more prevalent. The best bets are closed systems that recycle and treat the water and don’t contaminate nearby wild habitats. If you purchase from a fish counter, the attendant should be able to advise you which fish are raised according to these higher standards.
Overall then, to maximize health and longevity, try to regularly incorporate omega-3s into your diet. Fish is the best way to do this. Try rainbow trout, salmon, mackerel or herring 1-2 times a week. Non-seafood sources of omega-3s to consider would be chia seeds, flax seeds, eggs, spinach, walnuts, and brussel sprouts. More on some of these power foods in a future post, so stay tuned.
Dr. Michelle Lockyer
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/is-organic-better-for-your-health-a-look-at-milk-meat-eggs-produce-and-fish/2014/04/07/036c654e-a313-11e3-8466-d34c451760b9_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c1c02a469e53
- https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/food-trends/new-organic-seafood-standard-muddies-the-water/article4178834/