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Mercury in fish: How bad is it, really?

Today's Ingredients

Eating fish is a very healthy thing to do, as all you nutrition aficionados already know. These gilled vertebrates are packed with macro- and micronutrients, and including fish in your diet is linked to a long list of health benefits.

But there's a less rosy side to the story. Fish also contain mercury, a substance that can be highly toxic to humans. This means that eating too much of certain types of fish comes with some serious health risks. So how much is too much, and which types are best? Annie Hibbs, a registered dietitian at Healthline, is back to reel in the facts.

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Safety first,
Ginger Wojcik
Newsletter Editor, Healthline

Written by Ginger Wojcik
May 14, 2024 • 3.5 min read

Let's Ask the Dietitian

Q:	How concerned do I need to be about mercury in fish?

If you follow the advice about eating fish from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you don't need to be very concerned at all! Fish is a super nutritious food. It's an excellent source of lean protein and healthy fats. Those healthy fats can be beneficial to your heart health. And some fatty fish, like salmon and sardines, are good sources of vitamin D.

While fish do absorb mercury through water pollution, there are ways to enjoy — and reap the health benefits of — this important food group while keeping the mercury levels low.

The first thing to keep in mind is how much fish you're eating per week. (BTW, 3 to 4 ounces of fish is roughly the size of your palm.) The FDA recommends:

at least 8 ounces of seafood per week for adults on a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet
8 to 12 ounces per week of fish types that are low in mercury for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding
different serving sizes for children based on age (see specific recommendations)

The second thing to consider is the type of fish. Larger fish tend to have higher levels of mercury because the mercury found in the smaller fish they eat builds in their system. If you follow the FDA's guidelines for "best choices" (lower in mercury), "good choices" (slightly higher in mercury), and "choices to avoid" (such as big fish like king mackerel and swordfish), you can greatly reduce your risk of mercury poisoning.

Mercury poisoning is no joke. At certain levels, mercury can harm your nervous, digestive, and immune systems; lungs; kidneys; skin; and eyes. It can also cause serious health and development issues for unborn babies and children. If you're not sure what type of fish you ate or how much you ate, it's best to play it safe and wait a week before eating fish again.

As long as you're following the guidelines listed above, enjoy some weekly fish and the benefits it can offer your body.

Annie Hibbs, Registered Dietitian

Want to learn more about food, diets, cooking, or some other nutrition subject? Let us know at nutritionedition@healthline.com and we'll look into it for you! (Heads up, we may use your response in an upcoming newsletter.)

Kitchen Kit

Mega benefits

Nature's Bounty Fish Oil

I go back and forth with eating fish, mostly because the environmental harms associated with fishing make me extremely sad. Whenever I'm not eating fish, I make sure to take a daily fish oil supplement. Yes, it's better to get your nutrients from food. But if you can't, then a fish oil supplement is recommended, as it provides omega-3s, an essential nutrient that your body can't make on its own.

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the takeout

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Thanks for reading, everyone. I'm always on the lookout for new ways to cook fish. If you have a good one, send it in at nutritionedition@healthline.com!

Until next time,

Take care of yourself, and we'll see
you again soon!

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