Arguably one of the most nutritious Paleo friendly foods on the east coast is fresh caught wild fish. We have the luxury of living life on the coast and having access to fresh caught fish, but most of us never take advantage of it. A lot of fresh fish in supermarkets is farmed (which isn't always problematic but farmed fish can be less than desirable) or imported long distances and as such is not always as "fresh" as it could be. Regardless, the point of this post is not on which type of fish is better.
Numerous species of fish are a healthy food source as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, and selenium as well as a rich protein source. Most important is fish are rich in EPA/DHA (an omega-3) which have numerous health benefits including protection against cardio vascular disease, auto-immune diseases and a reduction in total mortality. DHA/EPA also play a big role in fetal brain development which makes fish a great choice for pregnant women. If you are concerned with PCB/Toxin exposure from fish, especially mercury, then you should read this article from Chris Kresser on the topic. In essence mercury is only an issue in species of fish where the level of Selenium is lower than the level of Mercury. Since Selenium has a binding affinity for Mercury the two tend to cancel each other out.
So why should you care? Well other than the obvious health benefits fresh fish is extremely yummy. Yes, that is a subjective observation but I stand by it. For those that agree I have some exciting news for you. Earlier today I received an email from Real Food Connections (my favorite store) regarding an exciting new program from the Fundy North Fisherman’s Association in St. Andrew's. The gist of the program is that you pay $10/year and RFC will offer a fresh local fish option once per month on a specific day. This month is fresh live lobster, $5/lb. Yes, that is not a type. If you are interested in the program you can read more about it here.
Space is limited so please contact them ASAP if you are interested.
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