Protein

[reviewer]

As I don't eat red meat or fowl, I'm concerned about protein intake. Eggs and cheese have cholesterol concerns, but I'm also concerned about mercury in fish. What are your favorite healthy proteins?

[DOCBROWN1705]

Soy, pumpkin seeds, Cottage Cheese, Pinto Beans, and almonds, are some of the better "non meat" forms of protein. You may also want to consider protein based drinks. There are some really good ones out there....

http://www.all-soy-products.com/a7-s...ein-powder.php

http://www.horizonweb.com/Vegetarian/NonMeatProtein.htm

[hurgoll]

I agree there are some really good protein drinks out there. I would suggest looking them over and find one that you like and you do need to check them for where they get the protein from. Whey protein is plant based. That sounds like want you would like best.

[disgruntled]

from what i have read the concerns about mercury in fish have been blow out of porportion.

it is worth looking into protine drinks, and eggs and cheese are ok as long as you are generally heathy.

tofu is a great source, but i find that hard to cook with.

i think lentels are good, but am not sure.

[DOCBROWN1705]

lentils are good!..... as far as the fish goes, I think its more a matter of the kinds of fish you eat, and the way that it is prepared.

[sirdarksol]

The way fish is prepared has no effect on mercury. Mercury builds up in muscle and fat, and vaporizes at a point far above the boiling point of water.
What you want to do is avoid eating large predator fish (walleyes, northern pike, salmon, tuna, etc...) too often. The guidelines depend on age, gender, whether or not one is or might be pregnant, etc... Small fish such as perch or flounder are good regular sources. Really, you should try to change up what kinds you eat.
Beans, anything made with soy is good (I love tofu. I'll drag up a "how to prepare tofu" post I made for disgruntled on another forum), nuts (raw is better, almonds are one of the healthiest nuts out there), a number of seeds (as mentioned above). Other than that, there are many "meat replacements" that are being made. These have varying levels of preservatives, sodium, etc... in them. For example, Morningstar Farms has some really tasty stuff, but it's high in sodium and high in preservatives. The ingredient list is a mile long. But still, really tasty.

[DOCBROWN1705]

This good.... you learn something new every day
**As far as preparing it..... the comment was more for general health, but you are right it has nothing to do with the Mercury levels**


Health Canada last issued consumption advice about mercury in fish in 2002. That advice is now being updated to better reflect the latest data on mercury levels in retail fish and the current consumption habits of Canadians, as well as to help Canadians make more informed decisions about the food they eat.

Most Canadians don't need to be concerned about mercury exposure as a result of fish consumption. In general, the types of fish that are most popular in Canada are also relatively low in mercury. However, there are some types of fish that, if eaten too frequently, could result in exposure to an unacceptable amount of mercury. The following advice will help to maximize the nutritional benefits of eating fish while minimizing the risk of exposure to mercury.

Canada's Food Guide recommends that Canadians eat at least two servings (of 75 grams each) of fish a week. Children, pregnant and breastfeeding women and women who may become pregnant can particularly benefit from the nutrients offered by fish. However, because the developing fetus and young children are also most at risk from mercury exposure, it's important that pregnant and breastfeeding women, women who may become pregnant and parents of young children are aware of what types of fish are a good choice for frequent consumption and which should be eaten less often.

Most fish contain some of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Recent evidence has suggested that fish consumption and the associated intake of EPA and DHA from fish can help maintain healthy heart function. Consumption of fish has also been associated with reduced risk of sudden cardiac death in healthy people and there is evidence that regular consumption of fish by pregnant women and women who may become pregnant plays a role in normal fetal brain and eye development.

Some types of fish have higher levels of these beneficial fatty acids than others. Fish and shellfish that contain higher levels of these fatty acids and are also low in mercury include: anchovy, capelin, char, hake, herring, Atlantic mackerel, mullet, pollock ( Boston bluefish), salmon, smelt, rainbow trout, lake whitefish, blue crab, shrimp, clam, mussel and oyster.

All fish are also a significant source of vitamin D and contribute valuable mineral nutrients to the diet such as selenium, iodine, magnesium, iron and copper.


Mercury exists in three different forms:

* Elemental mercury - this silvery, shiny, volatile liquid gives off a colourless, odourless vapour at room temperature;
* Inorganic mercury - compounds formed when elemental mercury combines with other elements such as sulphur, chlorine or oxygen to create compounds known as mercury salts; and
* Organic mercury - compounds formed when elemental mercury combines with carbon, also known as methyl mercury.

**Mostly taken from Health Canada**

[sirdarksol]

I live in Minnesota, which is a huge fishing state, and because the majority of our power comes from coal (which releases mercury into the air when it's processed/burned), mercury poisoning is a big issue around here. That's why I have the rote response regarding mercury so well memorized.
And sorry, please ignore in my above post the statement that salmon has a high level of mercury. Doc's right that it is normally an okay source. However, if you're getting Atlantic salmon, you might want to think about getting only wild-caught when you can. The farmed stuff is really bad for the environment, and if you're worried about antibiotics and toxins in your food, they are grown in pretty bad conditions. Other fish, however, are better if they are farmed. I'll see if I can find my "what fish to get farmed, what fish to get wild, what fish to avoid" list.

[DOCBROWN1705]

Originally Posted by sirdarksol

I live in Minnesota, which is a huge fishing state, and because the majority of our power comes from coal (which releases mercury into the air when it's processed/burned), mercury poisoning is a big issue around here. That's why I have the rote response regarding mercury so well memorized.
And sorry, please ignore in my above post the statement that salmon has a high level of mercury. Doc's right that it is normally an okay source. However, if you're getting Atlantic salmon, you might want to think about getting only wild-caught when you can. The farmed stuff is really bad for the environment, and if you're worried about antibiotics and toxins in your food, they are grown in pretty bad conditions. Other fish, however, are better if they are farmed. I'll see if I can find my "what fish to get farmed, what fish to get wild, what fish to avoid" list.

I did not know that about Coal, and mercury... are they doing any testing to check the level in the area?? What are the major, or most common fish coming out of that region?

[sirdarksol]

Yes, there is constant testing of a lake-by-lake basis (since proximity to a coal plant will affect the amount of mercury in the water).
Walleye, which is a long-lived predator that lives toward the bottom of the lake (three strikes against it on the mercury scale) is the state fish, and is often the most sought-after fish. In addition, lake trout is a big deal, as are northern pikes. Thankfully, we've also got a good number of types of sunfish, crappies, and perch to balance out the spectrum.
There are, of course, gamefish, but these are the most often eaten examples.