One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

That was back in 1960 and according to Dr. Seuss. Today however with so many varieties and elements to consider, what's the best fish to eat? The answer may vary depending on what you're looking for, i.e. nutritional benefit, heavy metal contamination or the ecological and economic effects of seafood, according to a review by Environmental Health Perspectives. The answer can also change depending on who you ask. Below is the answer of what fish to be eating based on all various considerations.

On varying extents, the truth is almost all fish can be contaminated with environmental pollutants, like heavy metals, and some obviously more than others. There is no need to fear though. Public health officials keep a close eye on this and provide us with guidelines to help us eat a variety of fish safely. As a general rule of thumb to limit heavy metals adults should limit fresh/frozen choices of  tuna, shark and swordfish to palm size servings twice weekly (and less for all other population groups). If you want to consider a fish higher in omega 3 fatty acids try: salmon, anchovy, char, herring, mackerel, pollock, smelt, rainbow trout, shrimp, clam, mussel, or oyster. Other safe seafood to include in your diet regularly include: cod, haddock, halibut, sole, scallops, squid and tilapia. When it comes to canned tuna choose light tuna, and look for skipjack, yellowfin or tongol on the label. It will have less mercury than white (or albacore) varieties. Even within species, nutritional, contaminant, and ecological attributes can vary widely depending on the size or variant or where the fish is harvested or farmed. More locally, various provincial fish consumption advisories have been issued for our water bodies from Environment Canada. At some locations across the island artic char, ouananiche and brook trout, and for Labrador, specifically lake trout and northern pike may be suggested to be consumed no more than once per week. For specific areas, updated and more information you can visit http://www.ec.gc.ca

Economic viability of fish depends on having enough stocks. We've had or fair share of crisis' in our province and across the globe it's also been an issue. As an estimate a 50% increase in global fish production is needed by 2050 in order to meet the basic nutrition for growing populations and world food security. Although fish consumption may directly influence human health, and the harvesting of wild or farmed fish can certainly affect the health of oceans. Abundance of wild fish stocks is expected to decline further in the future with the added stress of climate variability and habitat alteration. If you're  interested to purchase seafood more close to home your best bets might be snow crab, shrimp, scallops and farmed Atlantic salmon, steelhead trout, cod and blue mussels. If you're considering sustainability one thing you can look for is a  MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) ecolabel on packaging, menus or marketing materials. This will mean the fish comes from a certified sustainable source. You can also try to become more aware of where your food is coming from, and ask your local grocer the same.

It's certainly a lot of information to consider, so let's consider a commonly consumed, local diet staple. Farm raised salmon. Nutrition wise it's higher in heart healthy omega 3 fatty acids (even more so than wild) and very low in mercury. It may however have higher levels of certain contaminants, and some environmental groups  have suggested to avoid it based on the thought that the aquaculture may harm the ecosystem and wild fish stocks. All in all, it's very likely we overestimate some of these risks, and underestimate some benefits, such as the risk of nutritional harm from avoiding fish. Why eat fish? We know that fish are a great source of lean protein, vitamin D, calcium (if you eat the bones) and heart healthy omega fats (as long as we're not only consuming the fish and chips style fish of course)! There's also the fact it's part of our culture, we've been consuming fish in our diets for centuries. Weighing out the pros and cons, all in all it's likely something to eat more of. Most of us don't reach the national food guide suggestion consuming fish at least twice a week.

As seen in The Telegram June 11, 2012

Yogurt – It's All Greek to Me!

Ever find yourself standing for a while at the grocery store yogurt aisle? With so many varieties and constant new shelf additions it can be hard, not to mention confusing to make an educated choice. Greek yogurt, probiotic yogurt and kefir are some of the newer dairy choices to be hitting store shelves. So what is the difference between these nutrient rich foods and which is the better choice? 

Plain yogurt has been a part of Mediterranean diets from as early as 2000 BC. Traditionally it's made by adding a starter culture of (good) bacteria to pasteurized milk. The bacteria naturally act on the milk sugar, giving yogurt that creamy texture and tangy taste. Greek yogurt is unique as it is made slightly differently than regular yogurts. After the milk is heated and active live cultures are added, it is strained in a cheesecloth to remove whey, which is a liquid part of milk. This is what helps to give it that characteristic creamy, thick texture and higher protein content. One 175g serving, or 3/4 cup of plain, non fat Greek yogurt has 18 to 21 grams of protein (that's comparable to a 3oz piece of meat).  The same amount of regular, plain non fat yogurt has about half as much protein for around the same calorie content of about 110 to 120. Greek yogurt is great for those watching their weight because the high protein content helps promote fullness. Where it is naturally thicker and creamier than regular yogurt, for supper it can be a great lower fat substitute for sour cream, and for dessert with a little honey and nuts, or berries it can feel like you're having a treat.

Probiotics are friendly bacteria that can be healthful when eaten in adequate amounts. There are many dairy varieties, especially yogurt available, however one you may not be familiar with or have tried is kefir. Kefir is a fermented dairy beverage that can usually be found in the natural or organic section of grocery stores. Similar to many yogurts it is low in calories, high in protein and calcium and uniquely a good source of magnesium, and B vitamins. A naturally fizzy, tangy liquid, it can be enjoyed as a beverage or eaten with a spoon. Probiotics such as those in a yogurt or kefir are best for people with common belly upsets like lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and more so diarrhea. We are still learning about these helpful creatures and therefore which strains are best, the dosages and form they should be taken in, how much is safe, and how long they last is all still a little unclear.

Both Greek and probiotic yogurt in plain, non-fat or low fat forms, can be part of a nutritious diet. Both choices are usually low in calories and loaded with calcium and live bacterial cultures. Regardless of the type of yogurt you throw in the cart always be sure to read labels. A good rule of thumb for calories is to avoid those with more than one calorie per gram of yogurt. Looking for 2% M.F (or milk fat) will be a lower fat yogurt. If you want to reduce calories even further opt for a non-fat variety. For sugar choose something with no more than 20 grams per 175 g serving. For maximum calcium look for at least 20% of your daily value for a similar serving size.

As seen in The Telegram June 4, 2012