If you’re trying to eat more fish to get a healthy dose of heart healthy and anti-inflammatory omega 3’s, you’re not alone. The majority of our clients tell us that they try to eat fish regularly too!  And we always recommend trying some recipes like our Buffalo Salmon, or this Soy Ginger Salmon, or this Blackened Wild Flounder.  And they also frequently ask us if they should put a limit on the amount of fish they should eat each week due to mercury—especially when they’re thinking about becoming pregnant.

We base our recommendations on the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and EPA (Environment Protection Agency) guidelines. Check them out below—and a delish recipe. (We want to share them with you!). And stay tuned, they’re working on drafting new guidelines for pregnant women and children, so we’ll keep you posted when they update it! (As a side note-we are thrilled that our new obsession, heart healthy sardines, don’t have to be limited—try this delish sardine recipe! 🙂 )

So here you have it—the advice and tips directly from the FDA website. To check out the full article and guidelines, click here. And just so you know—even if you’re not pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, we all should limit our exposure to mercury. If you regularly eat types of fish that are high in methylmercury, it can accumulate in your blood stream over time and can damage your body. Methylmercury is removed from the body naturally, but it may take over a year for the levels to drop significantly.

Key Message

Eat 8 to 12 ounces of a variety of fish* each week from choices that are lower in mercury. The nutritional value of fish is important during growth and development before birth, in early infancy for breastfed infants, and in childhood.
Who should know

Women who are pregnant (or might become pregnant) or breastfeeding.
Anyone who feeds young children.
What to do

1. Eat 8-12 ounces of a variety of fish a week.

• That’s 2 or 3 servings of fish a week.
• For young children, give them 2 or 3 servings of fish a week with the portion right for the child’s age and calorie needs.

2. Choose fish lower in mercury.

• Many of the most commonly eaten fish are lower in mercury.
• These include salmon, shrimp, pollock, tuna (light canned), tilapia, catfish, and cod.

3. Avoid 4 types of fish: tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico, shark, swordfish, and king mackerel.

• These 4 types of fish are highest in mercury.
• Limit white (albacore) tuna to 6 ounces a week.

4. When eating fish you or others have caught from streams, rivers, and lakes, pay attention to fish advisories on those waterbodies.

• If advice isn’t available, adults should limit such fish to 6 ounces a week and young children to 1 to 3 ounces a week and not eat other fish that week.

5. When adding more fish to your diet, be sure to stay within your calorie needs.
Why this advice is important

Fish contains important nutrients for developing fetuses, infants who are breastfed, and young children. Fish provides health benefits for the general public. Many people do not currently eat the recommended amount of fish.
Note

*This advice refers to fish and shellfish collectively as “fish.”

Since you’ve been requesting fish and especially tuna steak recipes from us, we’ve been excited to share this recipe with you! This recipe works great with tuna, halibut, haddock, grouper and trout and even with shrimp. Just keep in mind, each serving in this recipe is 6 ounces, so if you use tuna, it’s the perfect time to be aware that the other fish that you choose this week should come from low-mercury content fish like salmon, shrimp, cod, tilapia, etc.

Grilled Spice Tuna Steaks

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 (6 oz.) albacore tuna steaks, 1 inch thick (or halibut steaks, trout, etc. or 24 ounces shrimp)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp ground ginger

1 small garlic clove, crushed

Oil in a spray bottle

Salt and ground pepper to taste

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup hickory wood chips, soaked

Directions

1. Place tuna, halibut, trout or whichever fish steaks you are using, olive oil, ginger and garlic in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal and shake gently, allowing all of the flavors to settle and evenly soak into the fish. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Once the coals are very hot, toss the wood chips over the coals.
3. Using spray bottle, lightly spray the grill. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill and flip after about 3 minutes and cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Remove from the grill and plate, drizzling with the lemon and lime juice. Serve immediately and Enjoy!!

Nutrition Facts: 168 calories, 12 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 18 mg sodium, 4 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 10 g protein

Grilled Spice Tuna/Halibut Recipe

 

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Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4 (6 oz.) albacore tuna steaks, 1 inch thick (or halibut steaks, trout, etc. or 24 ounces shrimp)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp ground ginger
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• Oil in a spray bottle
• Salt and ground pepper to taste
• ½ lime, juiced
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ½ cup hickory wood chips, soaked

Instructions

1. Place tuna, halibut, trout or whichever fish steaks you are using, olive oil, ginger and garlic in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal and shake gently, allowing all of the flavors to settle and evenly soak into the fish. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Once the coals are very hot, toss the wood chips over the coals.
3. Using spray bottle, lightly spray the grill. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill and flip after about 3 minutes and cook for another 3 minutes.
4. Remove from the grill and plate, drizzling with the lemon and lime juice. Serve immediately and Enjoy!!.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 168 Fat: 12 g Saturated fat: 2 g Carbohydrates: 4 g Sugar: 0 g Sodium: 18 mg Fiber: 1 g Protein: 10 g

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