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overall health. Moreover, fish (but not fried fish), which is rich in protein and low in saturated
fat, can replace less-healthful foods such as red meat. The benefits of fish far outweigh the
potential risks from contaminants, especially if you eat it in moderation (two servings a week,
about 8 to 12 ounces total, is the base recommendation) and vary the types of fish. Small,
shorter-lived fish lower in the food chain, such as sardines and mackerel, accumulate less
toxins.
The EPA and DHA content of fish depends on the species. A good listing is found at
http://fn.cfs.purdue.edu/fish4health/HealthBenefits/omega3.pdf
Lake Trout is the highest concentration, at 3% EPA and DHA. Atlantic salmon is almost
2%, but most fish are under 1%, meaning 100 grams of fish for each gram of omega-3s.
At that rate, a therapeutic dose of 9.6 grams would take a lot of fish: up to two pounds
a day. So if you are taking omega-3s as medicine, supplementation is essential.