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Do you know where to buy wild fish?
I noticed not long ago that my main grocery store had changed the way it labelled fish at the fish counter.
Instead of the regular label that would tell you what type of fish you were buying and the price, the new labels were far more explicit.
When I realized there was this switch in consciousness on the part of my local grocery store, I could not help by think of the Food, Inc. documentary because this is exactly what they mean when they say that as consumers we have a voice. Obviously, my grocer either listened to consumers who wanted to be in the know or they tried something new to see how consumers would react.
http://www.eatsmartagesmart.com/video-review-of-food-inc/
From my observation, every single person who stops in front of the newly labelled fish counter has the same reaction: they stop to read each label before make a decision AND they ask questions!!!
The new labels at my local grocery store (called Loblaws and it’s the biggest food retailer here) read as follows:
* Type of fish
* Explicitly lets you know if the fish had been frozen or not
* The country of origin (this is huge given a lot of food scares from China)
* The price per gram and kilo
* The type of cultivation (aka farmed or wild)
I’m elated at this new initiative because I’ve been shying away from eating farmed fish for a while now. I’ve been buying frozen fish that clearly states that the fish is wild, but the only type of fish I’ve found up to now has been salmon. I do love my salmon because it tastes amazing and I can prepare so many delicious dishes and because it’s packed with the goodness of Omega 3, but a girl cannot live off of wild salmon alone.
Thanks to Loblaws’ initiative, I can now choose from wild snapper, wild sole, wild mahi-mahi, wild trout and at least ten other types of wild fish from all over the world!
I’ve asked the staff when this change came about because I really missed the transition and I was told it’s been a few months.
Some fishmongers will really know how the fish was cultivated, but many won’t and many don’t care if the fish they sell is farmed because many don’t necessarily know the controversy around farmed fish.
Just in case you’ve never asked yourself if you should know more about how your fish is cultivated, let me reveal these 7 facts on why farmed fish might not be the best for your health:
1) Farmed fish are usually housed in small pounds (and there are usually a lot of them living in really crammed space).
2) Farmed fish is said to be fed corn and cereals (you won’t find too much corn or cereal in any ocean, river or stream … it’s not normal for a fish to eat corn and cereal)
3) Farmed fish are more prone to disease, which can quickly spread to all the other fish in the pound (don’t we have enough food scares as is?).
4) It’s said that farmed fish are fed antibiotics.
5) Farmed salmon in the U.S. are served pellets of red die to make their flesh more red (I saw this on one of “The Doctors” show and I was shocked).
6) Farmed fish are overfed so they can get fat more quickly and be sold more quickly.
7) Overfeeding fish and getting it fat that quickly is said to change the Omega 3 into Omega 6. Most of us are deficient in Omega 3 and not Omega 6, so this defeats the purpose.
You might not have access to a Loblaws store where you live, but grocery stores like Whole Foods Market will also let you know the origin of your fish. You might also want to survey a few fishmongers to find out which ones are knowledgeable about the origin of their fish.
Alternatively there are a number of frozen brands that clearly state on their packet when the fish is wild!
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September 7th, 2009 at 2:26
Thanks! I’ll try to seek them at the mall. By the way which type of fish is better to buy?
September 7th, 2009 at 20:14
Princess,
Many experts suggest believe wild fish is better for your health than farmed fish.
That said, I do sometimes buy farmed fish because Tilapia which is one of my favourite fish in the whole wide world is sold farmed from Honduras here and not wild.
I do eat a lot of salmon as well, but only buy it wild.
Thanks for your comment.
September 7th, 2009 at 20:18
Princess,
I’d say it’s best to to buy fish from small seller at the market.
Ask the seller if its from the fish farm or if they got them from the sea where they fish.
Always ask my fish seller before buying.
This is very informative post.
You help us get the good health.
September 7th, 2009 at 22:51
Same here! Farmed Tilapia is plenty. It’s hard to find wild fishes here too!
Yeah salmon is the best choice, but not too often, cause its quite expensive.
Thanks for the reply!