The creature most health conscious omnivores insist upon consuming is fish. Their arguments range from “fish don’t feel pain” to “I need the protein and Omega-3 fatty acids”. Unfortunately for fish consumers, these arguments don’t hold water. First of all, pescetarians are entirely wrong to believe that fish do not feel pain. UK scientists at the Roslin Institute and the University of Edinburgh have conclusively proved that fish do feel pain. Researcher Rebecca Dunlop summed up her team’s findings by stating “This paper shows that pain avoidance in fish doesn’t seem to be a reflex response, rather one that is learned, remembered and is changed according to different circumstances. Therefore, if fish can perceive pain, then fishing cannot continue to be considered a non-cruel sport.” (http://www.fishinghurts.com/fishfeelpain.asp) Of course, it doesn’t take a scientist to realize that fish feel pain. Everyone can see that fish endure tremendous amounts of pain when they are hooked, including business magnate Donald Trump. “Whenever my sons go fishing they always tell me, ‘Dad it doesn’t hurt a fish to get hooked.’ Well I watch and I see and I believe it’s painful for the fish,” says Trump.
Don’t kid yourself. Fish feel pain.
Even if pescetarians are able to rationalize supporting the cruel fishing industry, they should revisit their argument that fish consumption is healthy. Although fish has been touted as a miracle food with huge advantages over chicken, beef, and pork, the truth is that eating fish can cause more harm than good for your health. More than 60% of calories in fish come from fat. Fish fat reduces the actions of insulin in the body and increases the risk for high blood sugar and diabetes. Although a common argument for eating fish is the “need” for Omega-3 fat, scientific evidence has shown that Omega-3 fish fat actually increases a person’s likelihood of developing cancer and heightens the risk of metastasis. The New England Journal of Medicine reports that, in addition to the aforementioned health risks associated with a pescetarian diet, many fish have such high amounts of mercury that eating them actually increases your risk of having a heart attack by as much as 50%. Fish are also high in cholesterol and contain acidic protein that increases the risk of osteoporosis. Eskimos consume more fish than most populations on our planet and, not surprisingly, have the highest rates of osteoporosis on Earth.
Eskimos have the highest rates of osteoporosis on Earth.
Oftentimes the reported health impacts of consuming fish do not even take into account biomagnification. Dr. John McDougall explains biomagnification as follows:
Fish eat other fish that eat plankton and algae, which are
contaminated with environmental pollutants. Because these
chemicals are attracted and concentrated in the fat of the fish, they
become even more concentrated as the chemicals move up the food
chain, by a process known as biomagnification. The fish most heavily
laden with chemicals are those such as the tuna, swordfish and shark,
which are predators of smaller sea life.
Unfortunately, those most affected by all this contamination are the
ones highest on the food chain – our unborn and breast-feeding children,
living off of their mother. Polychlorinated biphenyl exposure (PCB) of
children born to women who had eaten relatively large quantities of fish
resulted in poorer intellectual function of the children, compared to
other children, shown by lower scores on a preschool IQ test, and poorer
verbal IQ and reading comprehension at 11 years of age.
Whether your food selections are motivated by a desire to be cruelty-free or a dedication to healthy eating, fish is not the wonder food that many claim and should not be considered an ethical or nutritious dietary staple.