Author\ National Health Foundation Lai Sheng-ru (Nutrition Department Nutritionist, National Taiwan University Hospital) Taiwanese people love to eat seafood, but according to monitoring by the Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Fisheries Administration of the Council of Agriculture, large deep-sea fish have higher concentrations of

The heavy metal substance "methylmercury" can harm the brain and neurological development of fetuses. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare formulated the "Fish Consumption Guidelines" for the first time in 2017, which targets tuna, swordfish, oil fish, and shark.

For large fish that are at the top of the marine food chain, recommended intake amounts are provided to avoid harm to the neurological development of young children.

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Let’s see what the Food and Drug Administration says about eating less of the 4 types of fish. Replace large fish with small fish. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) held an “Expert Discussion on the Risks and Benefits of Fish Intake” in 2010 to assess specific ethnic groups.

and then proposed some conclusions on the health benefits and health risks associated with fish intake, and recommended that Member States should take a series of steps to assess and manage the risks and benefits of fish intake to protect public health.

Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued dietary guidelines in accordance with the Food Hygiene, Safety and Nutrition Advisory Council. Pregnant women and women of childbearing age should consume at least 7 to 9 balanced servings per week (one serving is 35 grams, which is the size of an adult's three fingers held together).

and thickness) of fish, children aged 1 to 3 should eat at least 2 servings (70 grams) of fish per week, and children aged 4 to 6 should eat 3 servings of various fish per week.

However, sharks, swordfish, tuna and oily fish should be avoided.

If you want to take it, pregnant women and women of childbearing age should not exceed 1 to 2 servings (35g to 70g) per week; children under 6 years old should not exceed 1 serving (35g) per month.

It is recommended that if you want to eat fish, you can choose small fish species, such as mackerel, saury, crucian carp, seabass, etc., as the heavy metal residues are relatively low.

In addition, the accumulation of heavy metals in fish visceral tissue is usually higher than that in lean meat tissue. It is recommended to remove the viscera before ingesting it.

Fish contains high-quality fatty acids. "Fish and seafood" are among the few foods that contain a variety of important nutrients. They are less harmful and have the value of preventing diseases.

It is a source of energy, providing high-quality protein, fatty acids (and a high-quality fatty acid ratio), vitamins (D, A, E, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12; fat-soluble vitamins, mostly accumulated in the liver), minerals

(Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, fluorine, iodine, iron, zinc, copper, manganese) and other rich nutrients.

For example, tuna, swordfish, and horse mackerel are rich in selenium; shellfish, clams, and sardines are rich in zinc; molluscs and crustaceans are major contributors to copper and iron.

Different from the saturated fat of livestock meat, the important nutritional value of fish lies in its unique n-3 long-chain unsaturated fatty acid (n-3-PUFA), which is also commonly known as omega-3 (i.e. omega-3 long-chain fatty acid).

polyunsaturated fatty acids), including EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).

EPA and DHA play an important role in health promotion and disease prevention.

In addition, fish and seafood contain proteins that are easier to digest and have high bioavailability.

In terms of the composition of essential amino acids, fish is almost comparable to the amino acid nutrition of milk, eggs, and meat.

Other free amino acids, including: histidine, taurine, some peptides, such as serine anserine, carnosine, and other non-protein compounds, such as free nucleotides and creatinine, and other nutrients are also relevant

high content.

Fish contains important omega-3 n-3-PUFA (omega-3), which is a key compound in cell membranes. DHA can affect neurological development, especially the brain, retinal development, and cognitive function of children under 2 years old; therefore, pregnant women should consume enough

A large amount of n-3-PUFA helps the baby's neurological, visual and mental development in early childhood.

n-3-PUFA is also helpful in preventing cardiovascular diseases (especially stroke and acute myocardial infarction), improving blood triglyceride concentrations and reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.

Fish is rich in nutrients such as taurine, choline, selenium, vitamin B12 (lowering plasma homocysteine), vitamin D, zinc, etc., and also plays an important role in research related to the prevention of coronary heart disease.

Although only a few studies have shown that fish oil can prevent colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer and other cancers; however, in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, adjuvant fish oil treatment has been clinically shown to reduce the inflammatory response caused by cancer and the side effects of chemotherapy, slow down the body's

Protein loss.