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What fish is best to eat?

Page last modified on: October 13, 2008

Question from ACosta: I would like to know what fish we can eat (because of the natural fats and the mercury) and which not. What about tuna and salmon?: Answers —Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D.: Salmon has a very low amount of mercury, so that is not the potential problem with salmon. With tuna, what they have found is that the larger tuna, particularly albacore, has a higher amount of mercury than the smaller tuna. So currently I only eat the light tuna, if I'm buying canned tuna. Previously I always bought albacore, but now I look specifically for light tuna. With canned or fresh salmon, I buy almost exclusively Alaskan which is wild, not farmed, and has lower amounts of other potential contaminants. But again, mercury is not the issue with salmon.; Jennifer Sabol, M.D., F.A.C.S.: If I'm not mistaken, as a general rule, the larger the fish, the more likely it is to contain higher amounts of mercury. I think there are some areas where you need to be somewhat more concerned with pollutants even with fresh-caught fish like trout that may be local to the area.; Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D.: That's absolutely correct. Each state has a fisheries website where they list their own specific guidelines for how much local fish to consume based on their own state testing for various things such as mercury.

On Wednesday, November 15, 2006, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Eating and Drinking Through the Holidays. Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D. and moderator Jennifer Sabol, M.D. answered your questions about how to stay healthy during the most hectic, high-calorie time of year.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D. is a registered dietitian in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a two-time breast cancer survivor.

Jennifer Sabol, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a breast surgeon who directs the newly developed Breast Care Center at Lankenau Hospital in Wynnewood, Pa. Among her many interests, Dr. Sabol spearheads several research initiatives to advance the care for women with breast cancer and improve methods of breast cancer detection and treatment.