Healthiest Fish to Eat

Healthiest Fish to Eat

Here are 6 fish that are healthy for you and the planet

1. Albacore Tuna
2. Salmon
3. Oysters
4. Sardines, Pacific
5. Rainbow Trout
6. Freshwater Coho Salmon
7. Pacific halibut
8. Atlantic mackerel
9. Sablefish

1. Albacore Tuna (troll- or pole-caught, from the U.S. or British Columbia)

Many tuna are high in mercury but albacore tuna—the kind of white tuna that’s commonly canned gets a Super Green rating as long as (and this is the clincher) it is “troll- or pole-caught” in the U.S. or British Columbia. The reason: smaller (usually less than 20 pounds), younger fish are typically caught this way (as opposed to the larger fish caught on longlines). These fish have much lower mercury and contaminant ratings and those caught in colder northern waters often have higher omega-3 counts. The challenge: you need to do your homework to know how your fish was caught or look for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) blue ecolabel.

2. Salmon (wild-caught, Alaska) 

to give you an idea of how well managed Alaska’s salmon fishery is, consider this: biologists are posted at river mouths to count how many wild fish return to spawn. If the numbers begin to dwindle, the fishery is closed before it reaches its limits, as was done recently with some Chinook fisheries. This close monitoring, along with strict quotas and careful management of water quality, means Alaska’s wild-caught salmon are both healthier (they pack 1,210 mg of omega-3s per 3-ounce serving and carry few contaminants) and more sustainable than just about any other salmon fishery.

3. Oysters (farmed) 

Farmed oysters are good for you (a 3-ounce serving contains over 300 mg of omega-3s and about a third of the recommended daily values of iron). Better yet, they are actually good for the environment. Oysters feed off the natural nutrients and algae in the water, which improves water quality. They can also act as natural reefs, attracting and providing food for other fish. One health caveat: Raw shellfish, especially those from warm waters, may contain bacteria that can cause illnesses.

4. Sardines, Pacific (wild-caught) 

the tiny, inexpensive sardine is making it onto many lists of super foods and for good reason. It packs more omega-3s (1,950 mg!) per 3-ounce serving than salmon, tuna or just about any other food; it’s also one of the very, very few foods that’s naturally high in vitamin D. Many fish in the herring family are commonly called sardines. Quick to reproduce, Pacific sardines have rebounded from both overfishing and a natural collapse in the 1940s.

5. Rainbow Trout (farmed) 

though lake trout are high in contaminants, nearly all the trout you will find in the market is farmed rainbow trout. In the U.S., rainbow trout are farmed primarily in freshwater ponds and “raceways” where they are more protected from contaminants and fed a fishmeal diet that has been fine-tuned to conserve resources.

6. Freshwater Coho Salmon (farmed in tank systems, from the U.S.)

Freshwater Coho salmon is the first—and only—farmed salmon to get a Super Green rating. All other farmed salmon still falls on Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch “avoid” list for a few reasons. Many farms use crowded pens where salmon are easily infected with parasites, may be treated with antibiotics and can spread disease to wild fish (one reason Alaska has banned salmon farms). Also, it can take as much as three pounds of wild fish to raise one pound of salmon. Coho, however, are raised in closed freshwater pens and require less feed, so the environmental impacts are reduced. They’re also a healthy source of omega-3s—one 3-ounce serving delivers 1,025 milligrams.

7.Pacific halibut

Taste: This firm white fish has a mild flavour that appeals to even fussy fish eaters, and it is highly versatile.
Nutrients: Halibut contains close to an entire day’s worth of omega-3s (439 mg per 75-gram serving). “It’s also low in overall fat with only two grams of total fat per serving, and it’s a good source of potassium and vitamin D,” says Dombrow. (To be cautious, women who may become pregnant, or are pregnant or breastfeeding should eat halibut only once a week, to avoid exposure to relatively high levels of mercury.)
Eco-friendly: Pacific halibut currently has a green light from American conservation groups, although one concern, says MacKinnon, “is that juvenile halibut are discarded or thrown back, reducing their chance of survival.” Avoid Atlantic halibut, which is vulnerable to overfishing.

8.Atlantic mackerel

Usually sold as “round” (uncleaned whole fish); get your fishmonger to clean it.

Taste: Some find this firm white fish has a too-strong flavour. (If that’s your take, why not follow Calder’s advice, below, and try it as an appetizer? You just might enjoy it. )
Nutrients: Perhaps the expression “holy mackerel” comes from this powerhouse’s omega-3 content—982 mg per 75-gram serving—or its vitamin B12 content (a serving has six times the RDA). If you opt for pickled or smoked mackerel, watch the sodium, which can be quite high. The contaminant risk is low, so there’s no reason to limit consumption.
Eco-friendly: This small-sized relative of tuna is a sustainable choice because it is so abundant. “Mackerel tend to school,” says MacKinnon, “so we can fish them with minimal impact on their habitat and other species.”

9.Sablefish

Also known as black cod.

Taste: This mild white fish, with its large velvety flakes and sweet rich flavour, is popular among top chefs, and is sometimes called “butterfish” due to its buttery texture.
Nutrients: It is a great source of omega-3s, with 1,544 mg per 75-gram serving, and a good source of selenium (as are many fish). “Selenium is a trace mineral that may help protect cells from damage,” says Mary Sue Waisman, a registered dietitian in Fall River, N.S., and author of Flavour First. (To be cautious, women who may become pregnant, or are pregnant or breastfeeding should eat sablefish only once a week, to avoid exposure to relatively high levels of mercury.)
Eco-friendly: These are found throughout the North Pacific; conservation concern is low.
Ways to serve: Fillets are best pan-fried in a little oil, skin side down. Calder’s roasted red pepper sauce is a healthy way to dress it up: In a food processor, whiz up a few roasted red peppers with some sautéed onions deglazed with a splash of white wine. Add a few tablespoons of fish or chicken stock to desired consistency. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, and pour over fish.