Skip to content

Safe to eat seafood at holidays with mercury concerns?

Page last modified on: October 21, 2009
Question from Melissa: I'm Catholic and we're doing our traditional Seven Fishes dinner this year for Christmas. With all the mercury issues, is there a safe way to do this or should we alter it somehow??
Answers —Larissa Korde, M.D., M.P.H.: Good question.
Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D.: Know the fish that are considered high in mercury and try not to eat those. Swordfish is one of them. Tilefish (also known as golden or white snapper) is one. There are four and I don't remember the other two [they are shark and king mackerel]. The names of the fish that are highest in mercury are readily available at Federal government websites such as the Environmental Protection Agency’s Fish Consumption Advisories page, so just make sure those fish are not being used. I would also, though, if they happen to be locally caught fish, each state has their own individual fish advisory statement/notice about which lakes and rivers have mercury contamination and people should be cautious about eating fish from those sources.

On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Nutrition Through the Holidays. Diana Dyer, M.S., R.D. and Larissa Korde, M.D., M.P.H. answered your questions about what and how much to eat when holiday treats abound.

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.

A production of LiveWorld, Inc.
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.

Together we can make a difference

Email Updates

Stay informed about current research, online events, and more.

Please leave this field empty

Meet the Experts

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

Larissa Korde, M.D., M.P.H. is an assistant professor in the Division of Medical Oncology at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance of the University of Washington. She specializes in the care of breast cancer patients.

Back to top

Breastcancer.org 7 East Lancaster Avenue, 3rd Floor Ardmore, PA 19003

Learn more about our commitment to your privacy

© 2010 Breastcancer.org - All rights reserved.

Breastcancer.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing information and community to those touched by this disease. Learn more about our commitment to providing complete, accurate, and private breast cancer information.