Fish is NOT health food.

Despite what some think, fish is not health food.

Many health professionals and scientists recommend fish to improve your health and especially, to reduce your risk of suffering from heart disease. John McDougall, MD, disagrees. This article is edited from his email newsletter.

Fish Fat: Fish is high in fat--often 60% of the calories come from fat. Fish fat is known to paralyze the actions of insulin and increase the tendency for high blood sugars and eventually diabetes, known to suppress the immune system, and known to increase the tendency for serious bleeding. Like all animal products, fish are high in cholesterol.

Fish Protein: Fish is high in animal protein and the kinds of protein that make up fish are very acidic in nature. The high acid load caused by the ingestion of fish results in bone loss, which eventually leads to osteoporosis. Eskimos are a prime example

Environmental Contaminants: Fish eat other fish that eat plankton and algae, which are contaminated with environmental pollutants. Because these chemicals are attracted and concentrated in the fat of the fish, they become even more concentrated as the chemicals move up the food chain, by a process known as biomagnification. The fish most heavily laden with chemicals are those such as the tuna, swordfish and shark, which are predators of smaller sea life.

Free Newsletter
DFW Food News
Published 1 to 2 times monthly.
Covering Dallas-Fort Worth vegetarian news, vegetarian education, veggie events, vegetarian-friendly restaurants, and vegan recipes.
Building a vegetarian,
compassionate, and
earth-friendly community
in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX Metroplex.
Subscribe by sending name/email address to

Email here

Information kept private.

About Green Building and Energy-Efficient Homes in DFW
Earth Now in DFW

DFW Vegetarian

Mercury Contamination and Heart Disease: Methylmercury (MeHg) is a global environmental problem and is listed by the International Program of Chemical Safety as one of the six most dangerous chemicals in the world's environment. A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine (Guallar E. Mercury, fish oils, and the risk of myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med.2002 Nov 28;347(22):1747-54) warned that many fish contain such high levels of mercury that they may actually increase your risk of a heart attack.

Fish Oil Supplements: In one study on the effects of fish oil on artery closure, the authors concluded, "Fish oil treatment for 2 years does not promote favorable changes in the diameter of atherosclerotic coronary arteries." (Sacks F. Controlled trial of fish oil for regression of human coronary atherosclerosis. HARP Research Group. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1995 Jun;25(7):1492-8)

Dallas-Fort Worth Vegetarian Education Network.

Email here

Cookbook
Order for Yourself,
Any Gift Occasion
Quick, Easy
Vegan Recipes