What are the Healthiest Fish to Eat? (and What to Avoid)
Fish are nutritional powerhouses, packed with high-quality protein, essential vitamins and minerals, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Regular consumption has been linked to better brain function, lower inflammation, and reduced risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends eating fish at least twice a week to enjoy these benefits.
But not all fish are created equal. Some species contain harmful toxins—like mercury, PCBs, and dioxins—that can build up in the body, leading to health issues ranging from brain fog and fatigue to serious conditions like diabetes and cancer. I used to stick to light tuna and tilapia, thinking I was making a healthy choice—until I dug deeper into the research.
Here’s what I found about which fish to enjoy regularly and which to limit or avoid.
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The healthiest type of fish to eat are S.M.A.S.H. fish. S.M.A.S.H. stands for salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring. These fish have lower levels of toxins and higher levels of omega-3’s because they are lower on the food chain.
Choose fish that are wild-caught and sustainably sourced when you can. The two best brands are Wild Planet and Season.
The top three most popular seafood for Americans are shrimp, salmon, and then tuna. But when you head to the canned fish section of the grocery store it’s a minuscule amount of non-tuna and unlimited options for tuna.
When it comes down to it, albacore tuna is the best of the three because It has higher amounts of omega-3 oils and lower amounts of mercury compared to yellowfin and skipack. Look for albacore that was pole-and-line caught or troll caught. This means that they’re not caught using the purse seine method which is basically giant nets cast over schools of fish. This results in lots of “bycatch” resulting in the unnecessary killing of sea turtles, sharks, and other sea life.
The best brand I’ve found is Wild Planet tuna with American Tuna coming in at a close second.
Okay, so those fish are the healthiest but what about finding fish that are sustainably caught? Seafood Watch by the Monterey Bay Aquarium is the best resource for this. It breaks up fish into 3 levels: “best choice,” “good alternative,” and “avoid,” which are “based on scientific criteria of environmental sustainability.”
Beyond that, look for fish with these labels (e.g. “Dolphin Safe” and “Friend of the Sea”) which have the highest standards.
Side note: Here’s an interesting article about how one fisherman rebranded the “toothfish” to “Chilean sea bass” to get it accepted into the world of seafood.
What To Do If You Hate Fish: I get it. Most fish have a very distinct taste and even the ones that don’t (e.g. tilapia) have a unique texture. Start by combining it with foods you like (fish tacos anyone?), eating it at a nice restaurant where it will likely be cooked well, dipping it into some healthy sauces, or even doing a little exposure therapy by gradually increasing the amount you mix into a chicken salad, ceviche, or some other concoction.
If none of that goes swimmingly (ha) then at the very least consider a fish oil supplement. Fish has a lot of nutrition aside from omega-3’s but you mine as well get some of the benefits if you can’t stomach the entree. See my supplement article here to learn more about the advantages of fish oil and where to find a reputable brand.
As a family, we have a seafood entree (typically salmon) about once a week. While my kids were more open to the oily fish during BLW, I haven’t done a great job exposing them to much beyond tuna, tilapia, salmon, and the variety of fish in sushi (knowing it’s great for their mental health among other things). I have experimented with gluten-free fish sticks from Whole Foods but they don’t love the taste, I don’t love that canola oil is an ingredient and they don’t meet any standards for being wild-caught or sustainable. Note to self: more fish for kids.
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