Many people who eat fish and shellfish falsely believe that doing so is healthy. According to an August 1997 survey of 10,000 households, commissioned by an industry group called the National Fisheries Institute, more than half of those questioned cited health benefits among their top reasons for eating seafood. More than three-quarters believed consuming fish to be healthier than eating cows, pigs, or chickens. And, most believed the quality of the seafood they had eaten was good. That hefty dose of animal protein increases bone calcium loss, encouraging osteoporosis.
Many people say they eat fish rather than beef in hopes of limiting fat and cholesterol.
But, many fish, such as catfish, swordfish, and sea trout, contain almost one-third fat. Salmon is 52 percent fat. Ounce for ounce, shrimp have double the cholesterol of beef. In fact, blockages continue to worsen for patients who regularly eat fish. Fortunately, eating vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, lettuce, and beans provides essential fatty acids in a more stable form, with zero cholesterol and little saturated fat.