Fish and for that matter seafood provide many health benefits for those who consume it. Fish provides high quality protein and is low in fat. The fat that is most predominate in fish is omega-3 fatty acids which has been found to be beneficial for cardiovascular health. Omega-3 fatty acids are fatty acids that humans cannot synthesize on our own and must consume them from our diet. Omega-3 fatty acids have been found to help lower LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and help in raising HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol). Omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA, are needed for proper development and are especially important in brain development in fetuses, young infants and children. Fish and seafood also are good sources for the mineral selenium. Selenium is an important cofactor for the enzyme glutathione peroxidase (catalyzes the removal of hydrogen peroxide and hydroperoxides from tissues) and is also important for iodine metabolism and is suggested to be involved in thyroid hormone regulation. It has also been seen that eating fish can help with glucose control in type II diabetics.Fish intake in a Japanese population found that higher fish intake in men, but not women, was associated with decreased risk of type II diabetes (Nanri, A., et. al.)
With eating any raw foods there is potential risk for contamination and food borne illnesses. Since most sushi utilizes raw fish it is not advised or conducive for young children, pregnant women, and sick elderly individuals (due to weakened immune systems). Mercury is a heavy metal that is toxic at high levels to humans and can build up in tissues over time. Mercury is present naturally in seawater, but modern industries have increased the content exponentially. Plankton and other organisms at the base of the food chain consume increased amounts of mercury and like a domino effect it affects organisms higher up on the food chain; thus larger fish higher up in the food chain contain more mercury. As for pathogens that are a concern, Anisakiasis is particularly nasty and potentially fatal infection caused by larval worms. This can be avoided with proper cooking and is only a concern when consuming fish raw. However people getting sick from sushi is far and few between and more people get sick from consuming produce that from consuming raw fish. In other words, the benefits of eating fish and seafood far outweigh the potential risks of consuming it (Sushifaq.com).
-Joshua Foster, RD
References
Nanri, A., Mizoue, T., Noda, M., Takahashi, Y., Matsushita, Y., et al. (2011). Fish Intake and Type 2 Diabetes in Japanese
Men and Women: The Japan Public Health Center-Based Prospective Study. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (94)884-91. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.012252
Sushifaq.com. Sushi Health Risks.http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-health/is-sushi-a-health-risk/. Accessed 5 November 2014.