Eat Fish? Got Mercury?

If you're trying to consume more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet for better health and its beauty benefits, then you know fish is a great source of this healthy fat. However, some types of fish also contain quite a bit of mercury. To find out how much mercury you are consuming go to http://gotmercury.org. The site has a calculator to help you make a healthier fish selection.

After learning that my preferred tuna - albacore tuna - contained three times the mercury as chunk light tuna, it wasn't hard for me to switch over. However, read labels to find out the type of light tuna. A Chicago Tribune investigation revealed that 15% of light tuna was made with yellowfin, which contains as much mercury as albacore. Look for skipjack or tongol. You can find tongol tuna at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.

Of course, you can't go wrong with wild Alaskan salmon, canned or fresh. Not only does it contain lots of heart-healthy omega-3s, but it's very low mercury.

Children, pregnant woman and woman of childbearing age should avoid eating shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish - all containing high levels mercury.