Fish and Pain

A great addition to your anti-inflammatory diet is fish high in omega 3. Make sure to choose fish low in mercury, PCBs, and other heavy metals and contaminants. The best choices for fish are Wild Alaskan Salmon, U.S. Sardines, and Black Cod. Some fish considered to have the highest levels of mercury, PCBs, and other contaminants include Canned White Albacore Tuna, Atlantic or Farmed Salmon, Blue Crab, Chilean Sea Bass, Swordfish, and Grouper.

Tilapia and catfish are rated somewhere in the middle in terms of mercury and PCB levels. However, when these fish are farm raised, they are no longer a significant source of omega-3’s. There is only 1/8 of the amount of omega 3 in these farm raised fish compared to wild fish. This is because farmed fish are fed food high in omega-6 fatty acids. It turns out that the fat ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 in farmed tilapia and catfish is 1:11. Remember, omega 6 increases inflammation and omega 3 decreases inflammation.