More bad advice from US "wellness expert"
In an article entitled "Why It's Crucial to Eat Wild Fish", the U.S. based Oasis Advanced Wellness (OAW) recently suggested that eating wild fish is better for your health than consuming farmed fish; "Fish that is raised on a farm does not provide the same benefits as wild fish, and can in fact do more harm than good", states the OAW web site. "Farm-raised fish are typically given the cheapest feed available, which often pollutes them with pesticides, genetically modified ingredients, and can change the body chemistry of the fish so that it little resembles the same species found in the wild".
Claiming a philosophy of "Honesty, Truth and Compassion", the Oasis Advanced Wellness web site suggests that "Most Americans are likely aware that eating fish a couple of times per week is a nutritious and healthy habit that can be particularly good for one's heart. But it is also important that the right type of fish is eaten. Unfortunately, all fish are not created equally, and the issue becomes even more complex when farm-raised fish are put into the equation". The OAW then goes on to say that "The fish that are highest in heart-friendly omega-3 fatty acids include such species as salmon, herring, and mackerel", but there is no suggestion that this applies to farmed salmon.
"Eating wild-caught fish in moderation is a great addition to your diet, but beware that the same species that are highest in omega-3 also tend to contain greater amounts of mercury and other heavy metals", states the company's web site. There is no mention of the fact that wild-caugh salmon generally contain higher levels of mercury than farmed salmon, although both products usually have a mercury content that is well below safe limits.
Quoting an article in the US News & world report by Amanda Gardner, the OAW acknowledges that "Farmed trout and Atlantic salmon had relatively good concentrations of "good" omega-3 fatty acids compared with "bad" omega-6 fatty acids". The US News story continues by providing the following recommendations: "Concentrate on cold-water fish such as salmon, rainbow trout, sardines, tuna and anchovies, all of which have healthy fats" (Marianne Grant, a health educator with Texas A&M Health Science Centers Coastal Bend Health Education Center, in Corpus Christi).
Said Dr. Floyd H. Chilton, director of Wake Forest Center for Botanical Lipids, in Winston-Salem, N.C.: "Farm-raised fish has to be part of our future, but we must do it correctly. We must feed animals the correct foods. Animals become what we feed them, and we become what we eat as well. The food chain is fairly consistent."
