Lisa enjoys eating lunch at the local sushi place every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. But aside from filling her quota of fish for the week, Lisa may unknowingly be getting an unhealthy dose of mercury along with her omega-3s.With advice to eat more fish for heart health, it's more important than ever to get the facts straight. The number one source of mercury contamination in our diet comes from seafood.
How mercury gets into fish
Mercury is a metal that is naturally found in low levels in soil and rock. It is also released into the air, water and land from pollution, unsafe waste disposal or erosion.When mercury gets into water, bacteria can change it into a toxic form called methylmercury. This is then absorbed by tiny organisms. When freshwater and ocean fish eat these organisms, the mercury builds up in their bodies. When larger fish eat smaller fish, mercury can build up to even higher levels.
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