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Just about any fish you eat these days has some mercury in it, due to the contamination of our water.
But that doesn’t mean you should avoid fish altogether!
Today, we’ll talk about 3 best for the benefits of fish without the hazardous mercury.
If you’re eating fish at all, you probably have a low level of mercury in your blood already. So it’s vital you stick with low-mercury fish like these 3 types.
This is especially important for children under the age of 6 and women who are pregnant, nursing, or trying to become pregnant. Avoid fish with anything more than a very low level of mercury, as the recommended fetal and child blood mercury level is even lower than for adults.
Here’s Why Small Fish Are So Good for You
Large fish, like tuna, marlin, and swordfish are carriers for a lot of mercury. Because they are LARGER fish and higher up the food chain, they also carry more metastatic tumors. Why?
Larger fish live longer and absorb more over their lifetimes than smaller fish. So pound for pound, eating tiny fish means less mercury entering your body.
Not only that, but these particular small fish are high in Omega-3 fatty acids.
These tiny fish deliver all of the benefits of larger, oily fish with none of the health risks!
Incorporating them into your diet will allow you to reap the many benefits of a diet rich in Omega-3, including:
- Improved heart health
- Brain longevity and memory
- Better focus and mood
- Reduced inflammation throughout the body and brain, which means reduced risk of cancer and dementia
And yet, those are not the only benefits of eating these wild-caught fish as often as you like. You’ll also enjoy:
- Stronger bones due to the combination of calcium, vitamin D, phosphorous, and magnesium in these fish
- Better muscle repair and recovery thanks to lean protein – in fact, cells throughout your body will benefit
- Lower cardiovascular risk including lower blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and cardiovascular inflammation.
- Easier weight loss because these fish are high in protein and healthy fat, while low in calories, sugar, and carbohydrates, so they sustain the feeling of being full longer.
Finally, these fish are now among the most sustainable in the ocean. Anchovies had become over-fished in previous decades but they’re now usually responsibly caught.
Anchovies
Found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans as well as the Mediterranean Sea, anchovies are small, oily fish that can be used for so much more than Caesar dressing and pizza toppings.
In addition to being a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids, anchovies also supply you with calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorous.
While they do still come in tin cans, you can buy fresh anchovies at good fish counters or artisanal varieties preserved in olive oil or sea salt.
Sardines
Sardines have gotten a bad rap over the years. You can probably picture smelly sardine cans in the cartoons of your childhood, but don’t be so quick to judge. Sardines are similar to anchovies, but milder in flavor. They’re available canned in most grocery stores, and they’re surprisingly versatile.
Actually, a fish from the herring family that got its name from the island of Sardinia, sardines are found in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
Sardines are one of the best sources of Omega-3 fatty acids outside of a supplement bottle, and also a good source of iron, vitamin B12, and selenium, a mineral that fights free radicals.
You can buy fresh, but if you go for canned, choose a good brand packed in extra virgin olive oil, as opposed to some other oils like soy or canola.
Mackerel
Mackerel are a bit larger than sardines and anchovies, but still only about the size of a sweet potato. If you caught one, it would hardly seem like an impressive catch!
But impressive it is. Mackerel are caught in cold Atlantic waters and have a similar deep red, oily flesh to tuna, but due to its size and lifespan, a lower mercury level.
It’s one of the top sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, and full of protein, selenium, and vitamin B12.
Fresh mackerel can be found at good fish counters in grocery stores like Whole Foods, or you can buy it canned as a low-mercury alternative to tuna.
3 Ways to Enjoy These Fish
One thing to know about all of these fish is that they are particularly perishable and need to be eaten quickly after you buy them fresh. For that reason, many people opt for jarred or canned and as long as you’re buying a good brand of wild-caught fish with no added junk, go for it.
- Combine them with your favorite veggie noodle dish. Try zucchini noodles with an alkaline pesto topped with sardines.
- Make lettuce wraps with them. Try sardines, onions, red peppers, avocado, and alkaline hot sauce in a butter leaf lettuce cup. Or a romaine leaf topped with roasted mackerel, fresh tomatoes, herbs, and a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Add them onto a salad. This preparation works well with all 3 fish, even the more pungent but flavorful anchovies. Try a salad of kale, diced veggies, lemon vinaigrette, and anchovies.
The best way to get plenty of these 3 fish is to supplement them! Alkamind Daily Omega-3 supplies all 3 low-mercury, sustainable fish oil in the best possible ratio to deliver the types of Omega-3 fatty acids your body craves.
Here’s what people are saying about Alkamind Daily Omega-3:
“Not only is there NO fishy after-taste, but I only have to take 3 tablets per day, which I easily do with each meal. I’ve only been taking the supplement for a few days but I’m already much happier with it than any other Omega-3 that I’ve taken in the past.” –Christine M.
“Less is more is key for me as a mother of a toddler now pregnant. It is not easy to take the recommended fish oils, so only taking 3 with superior quality is what I want during my pregnancy, nursing and as a mom. No aftertaste as well.”–Marie S.
Can you say all of that about your current Omega-3 supplement?
Get Alkamind Daily Omega-3 today!
