Waiter, is that mercury in my sushi?
If your sushi is made with fish, the answer is probably “yes.” That’s the scary news reported by The New York Times, which bought and tested tuna sushi from 20 Manhattan stores and restaurants. Several of the samples were so tainted with mercury that federal regulators could confiscate them for violating food safety rules. Experts warn that similar results would likely be found in other parts of the country as well.
It turns out that eating fish can be as hazardous to humans as it is to the fish.
As someone who hails from the “land of 10,000 lakes,” you’d think I’d be all about fish. Like most Minnesotans, I grew up eating fish and going fishing. Then I started to learn more about fish and decided I’d rather see these complex animals alive in their lake homes than dead on my plate. Fish, like other animals, are smart, can feel pain and even have their own distinct personalities.
Here’s what else I’ve learned: Fish is anything but “health food.”
As the Times study shows, tuna—and other fish—are often contaminated with mercury, a documented poison that can cause brain damage, memory loss, tremors, joint pain and gastrointestinal disturbances and has recently been linked to cardiovascular disease.
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