Don't Take the Bait-Fish is Not a Health Food

Physicians Committee
pcrm.org

Here are four facts you may not know about fish:

1. Fish is high in cholesterol.

Touted as a health food, fish has a reputation for being
heart-healthy. People who opt for fish to try to protect
their hearts might not realize that fish is often high in
cholesterol.

While a 3-ounce T-bone steak contains 70 milligrams of
cholesterol, three ounces of shrimp contain 161
milligrams. Numerous studies have shown that dietary
cholesterol consumption corresponds with an increased
risk for artery blockage.

The good news is that by eliminating foods that contain
cholesterol, like fish, and opting for naturally
cholesterol-free plant foods, people can reduce both
their cholesterol levels and their risk of heart disease.
Research has shown that every 1 percent reduction in
cholesterol can reduce heart disease risk by 2 percent.

2. Most of the fat in fish is not heart-healthy fat.

While fish does contain omega-3 fats, most of the fat in
fish is not heart healthy. Between 15 and 30 percent of
the fat in fish is actually saturated fat, which
stimulates the liver to produce more cholesterol. High-
fat foods are associated with poor heart health outcomes.

Fish is often celebrated for being low in fat, but this
is often not the case: 52 percent of the calories in
Chinook salmon come from fat. Plant foods, on the other
hand, are often naturally low in fat. Only 2 percent of
the calories in rice and 4 percent of the calories in
beans come from fat. Research has shown that diets low in
fat are best for preventing heart disease.

In 1990, Dean Ornish, M.D., demonstrated that a low-fat
vegetarian diet is capable of reversing heart disease. He
put patients with heart disease on a low-fat, plant-based
diet, and in one year, 82 percent showed a measurable
reversal of their coronary artery blockages.

3. Supplementing with fish oil may do more harm than
good.

In recent years, fish oil has been hailed as a miracle
cure for everything from heart disease to dementia. Many
people supplement with fish oil to increase their intake
of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for
maintaining cellular function. Unfortunately, studies
have shown that most of the health claims associated with
fish oil may be unfounded.

A comprehensive Journal of the American Medical
Association analysis involving 20 studies and more than
68,000 patients showed no link between fish oil and heart
health. Similarly, a study published in the New England
Journal of Medicine reported that patients who
supplemented with fish oil did not reduce their risk of
heart disease.

Additionally, recent reports indicate no association
between fish oil supplementation and the prevention or
improvement of dementia symptoms. Research has even shown
that omega-3 supplements may increase diabetes and
prostate cancer risk. Fortunately, many plant foods
contain alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, which is the only
essential omega-3 fatty acid. Excellent sources of ALA
include walnuts, soybeans, leafy greens, flaxseed,
avocado, and broccoli.

By eating a diet rich in these foods, people can reap all
the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids without any of the
side effects associated with fish consumption. Research
has even shown that women who follow vegan diets have
higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood than
those who consume diets rich in fish, meat, and dairy.

4. Fish are full of pollutants.

Because fish and shellfish live in increasingly polluted
environments, toxins from the water accumulate in their
bodies. Studies have shown that most of the fish
throughout the world contain dangerously high levels of
mercury.

Exposure to mercury, which is a toxic metal, has serious
health consequences, including increased risk for cancer,
heart disease, and even death. A recent study revealed a
link between mercury exposure and diabetes. Among nearly
3,000 participants, those who consumed the most mercury
over an 18-year period had a 65 percent greater risk for
developing diabetes.

Fish also contain unsafe levels of polychlorinated
biphenyls, which are dangerous chemicals that have been
linked to neurological problems and birth defects in
babies who have been exposed. A plant-based diet
automatically reduces exposure to these toxins.

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Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti

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