"Salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids which helps protect you from heart disease.""Limit your intake of seafood, farmed or otherwise, because of dangerous contamination."


In fact, both statements are true. Salmon and other fatty fish are the best natural source of omega-3s, while also being low in saturated fats. Risks associated with heart disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and depression are positively impacted by a diet including omega-3 fatty acids.


The top contaminants of concern are mercury, PCBs, and dioxins. Mercury exposure can cause a variety of mental and pscychological health problems, PCBs are endocrine disruptors, and dioxins are known to cause cancer. To some extent, these are found in many environments, not just seafood. Occupational exposure, drinking water, and contaminated air can be sources of some of these. Eliminating seafood from your diet entirely will not protect you from these chemicals, and will mean you miss out on other health benefits (such as omega-3 fats) that this food source offers.

Experts agree on a few basic facts. First, you should eat a variety of fish and always in moderation. Certain fish such as king mackerel, shark and swordfish should not be eaten at all (these are at the top of their respective food chains and therefore have the maximum contamination). The American Heart Association recommends two 6-ounce servings of fish per week to obtain a helpful amount of omega-3s. Pregnant and nursing women and children
The reason for concern about farmed fish is that their feed may be derived from food sources they would not consume in the wild, and may include higher trophic-level organisms. Many analyses have concluded that the levels of contamination are indeed higher than in wild fish, though not necessarily exceeding government-set tolerances (editorial comment: "for what it's worth".)