Is fish still healthy?

For many years the message was given that you should eat fish a few times a week because it has a beneficial effect on your cholesterol. But in recent years there has been a backlash from this message. Why?

Fish is said to contain many omega-3 fatty acids and therefore have a beneficial effect on cholesterol. In this way, cardiovascular diseases could be prevented. But you should not eat fish every day because sea fish also contains traces of heavy metals.

But in recent years, more and more fish have been farmed in batteries. These fish contain fewer heavy metals but also fewer omega-3 fats than sea fish. This is because the diet of these farmed fish was switched from anchovies and other wild-caught fish to more plant-based foods. This switch was made to combat overfishing at sea.

In conclusion: farmed fish contains fewer heavy metals but also fewer beneficial fats. If you want to eat healthy fish, you should still eat one portion of sea fish every week.

Author: Prof. Dr. Dirk Devroey - Latest update: 2023-12-11 - Copyright: Clinifacts 2025