Seafood
In 2012, researchers from the University of California–Davis, published an analysis of the diets of California kids aged two to seven. Chemicals and heavy metals in children’s bodies from the foods they ate were indeed found to exceed safety levels by a larger margin than in adults. Cancer risk ratios, for instance, were exceeded by a factor of up to one hundred or more. For every child studied, benchmark levels were surpassed for arsenic, the banned pesticide dieldrin, and potentially highly toxic industrial by-products called dioxins. They were also too high for DDE, a by-product of the banned pesticide DDT.
Which foods contributed the most heavy metals? The number-one food source of arsenic was poultry among preschoolers and, for their parents, tuna. The top source for lead? Dairy. For mercury? Seafood.
Those concerned about exposing their children to mercury-containing vaccines should know that eating just a single serving of fish each week during pregnancy can lead to more mercury in their infant’s body than injecting them directly with about a dozen mercury-containing vaccines. We should strive to minimize mercury exposure, but the benefits of vaccination far exceed the risks. The same cannot be said for tuna.
An elite group of Floridians, mostly corporate executives, was studied. They ate so much seafood that at least 43 percent exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s safety limit for mercury, and it appeared to have an effect. The researchers found that excessive seafood intake, which they defined as more than around three to four servings per month of such fish as tuna or snapper, elevates mercury levels and appeared to cause cognitive dysfunction, about a 5 percent drop in cognitive performance.
The information on this page has been compiled from Dr. Greger’s research. Sources for each video listed can be found by going to the video’s page and clicking on the Sources Cited tab. References may also be found at the back of his books.
Image Credit: Pixabay. This image has been modified.
Popular Videos for Seafood
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Allergenic Fish Worms
The role of a parasitic worm in allergic reactions to chicken and fish.
Dioxins in U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish
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Plant-Based Pregnancy Outcomes and Breast Milk
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Our gut flora is determined by what we eat, for good or for ill.
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Supplements for Hair Growth
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If the microbiome of those eating plant-based diets protects against the toxic effects of TMAO, what about swapping gut flora?
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Why do some pine nuts cause a bad taste in your mouth that can last for weeks?
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Are Vegans at Risk for Iodine Deficiency?
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The Human Health Effects of Cultivated Meat: Chemical Safety
More than 95 percent of human exposure to industrial pollutants like dioxins and PCBs comes from fish, other meat, and dairy.
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What is the relationship between stroke risk and dairy, eggs, meat, and soda?
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What Are the Best Foods?
A review of reviews on the health effects of animal foods versus plant foods.
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Avoiding Fish for 5 Years Before Pregnancy
The problem with fish advisories that tell pregnant women to cut down on fish is that it may be too late for certain persistent pollutants.
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Oxalates in Spinach and Kidney Stones: Should We Be Concerned?
Even though dietary oxalates may have a limited effect on kidney stone risk in most people, there are some predisposing factors that can put anyone at risk.
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How Much Microplastic Is Found in Fish Fillets?
How many plastic particles per serving have been found in the fish muscle itself?
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Are Microplastics in Seafood a Cancer Risk?
Plastic particles may exacerbate the pollutant contamination of fish.
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Microplastic Contamination and Seafood Safety
Can ingested plastic particles from fish get into our bloodstream?
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How the Dairy Industry Designs Misleading Studies
How the meat and dairy industries design studies showing their products have neutral or even beneficial effects on cholesterol and inflammation.
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Benefits of a Macrobiotic Diet for Diabetes
What happens when you add massive amounts of carbs to the daily diet of type 2 diabetics in the form of whole grains?
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How to Treat Jet Lag with Melatonin-Rich Food
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How to Shop for, Handle, and Store Chicken
Poultry is the most common cause of serious food-poisoning outbreaks, followed by fish, then beef. But aren’t people more likely to order their burgers rarer than their chicken sandwiches? The primary location where outbreaks occur is the home, not restaurants.
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Is Organic Meat Less Carcinogenic?
Researchers tested 76 samples of different kinds of organic and conventional meats for 33 different carcinogens.
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Carcinogens in Meat
What are the eight preparation methods to reduce exposure to carcinogens in cooked meat?
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How to Lower Heavy Metal Levels with Diet
What dietary change can simultaneously help detoxify mercury, lead, and cadmium from the body?
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Oxidized Cholesterol as a Cause of Alzheimer’s Disease
Oxidized cholesterol can be a hundred times more toxic than regular cholesterol, raising additional concerns about foods such as ghee, canned tuna, processed meat, and parmesan cheese.
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Viagra and Cancer
What is the role of erectile dysfunction drugs like Cialis and Levitra in the promotion and progression of prostate cancer and melanoma?
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Lead Contamination in Fish and Game
Most hunters may not be aware about the health risks related to consuming meat from animals shot with lead ammunition.
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The Best Diet for Fibroids
The same diet that helps regulate hormones in women may also reduce exposure to endocrine-disrupting pollutants.
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Cancer Risk from Arsenic in Rice & Seaweed
A daily half-cup of cooked rice may carry a hundred times the acceptable cancer risk of arsenic. What about seaweed from the coast of Maine?
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Where Does the Arsenic in Rice, Mushrooms, & Wine Come From?
What happens when our crops are grown in soil contaminated with arsenic-based pesticides and arsenic drug-laced chicken manure?
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Where Does the Arsenic in Chicken Come From?
What was the National Chicken Council’s response to public health authorities calling for the industry to stop feeding arsenic-based drugs to poultry?
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Fermented or Unfermented Soy Foods for Prostate Cancer Prevention?
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