1. Salmonella, Microbes, and Feces
Like pigs, cows, and chickens, fish on factory farms are confined to overpopulated enclosures. This often results in feces- and bacteria-contaminated water.
In fact, the FDA reports that seafood imports from China—around 27 percent of the seafood consumed by Americans—are frequently contaminated. Incredibly, one Chinese seafood exporter was caught feeding fish a partial diet of feces from hundreds of pigs and geese in an attempt to cut costs.
2. Plastic
Researchers at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine found that a whopping 25 percent of fish tested had plastic in their guts. Additionally, researchers from the University of Ghent in Belgium recently found that seafood eaters ingest up to 11,000 tiny pieces of plastic every year and dozens of particles become embedded in tissues.
3. Mercury
According to MIT researchers, mercury levels in tuna are 10 million times higher than in seawater, with human activities since the Industrial Revolution to blame. Just recently, Swedish scientists found that rising temperatures from climate change could boost mercury levels in fish by up to seven times the current rates.
4. Saturated Fat and Cholesterol
Somehow the recommendation to eat less meat has translated to “eat fish. Touted for its omega-3 fats, fish is widely considered the “healthy meat. But just like chicken and pork, fish and other seafood is loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol.
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Eating fish is not only unhealthy but also unspeakably cruel, as an MFA undercover investigation at a fish slaughter facility revealed.
What’s more, millions of non-targeted fish, whales, dolphins, turtles, and other marine animals are swept up in massive trawling nets and die. A 2014 National Journal report found that about 20 percent of all fish caught by commercial fisheries is “bycatch, or unwanted animals.
The best thing we can do to remove our support from the cruel fishing industry is to leave fish off our plates and switch to a compassionate vegan diet.
Check out all the amazing vegan versions of fish and other seafood, such as Gardein’s fishless filet and crabless cakes, available nationwide. Click here for compassionate sea-inspired recipes.
Visit ChooseVeg.com for tips and more recipes.