An essential part of French tables, this fish represents a risk if consumed excessively.
If fish is one of the healthiest foods on our plates due to its protein and fatty acid content improving cardiovascular health, its consumption is not without risks. The main culprit is mercury, considered by the WHO to be a chemical of extreme concern for public health, which is increasingly concentrated in large bodies of water. Many predatory and wild fish absorb it without their knowledge and we must therefore avoid consuming them too often.
Unfortunately, the list includes a very popular fish, recognized both for its delicate flavor and tender texture, which lends itself to many preparations. Baked with herbs and lemon, pan-fried with herbs, a la plancha with grilled vegetables or in ceviche, it multiplies the taste pleasures. Low in fat but high in protein, omega-3 and essential minerals, this fish is a healthy and balanced choice.
Did you guess? It is therefore the sea bream which is singled out, in the same way as swordfish, marlin, grenadier, sea bass, shark or tuna, even if it contains less mercury than these fish which can reach 23 mg of mercury/kg of wet weight, a concentration of almost 100,000 times that of the surrounding water. “If I tended to recommend wild fish in the diet for their omega 3 content, I now advise patients to be careful: the latter, unlike farmed fish, have a greater risk of being poisoned with mercury”, dietitian nutritionist Alexandra Retion explained to Medisite.
If the absorption of mercury in the body is eliminated by 95% in the stools, the WHO however recommends a maximum dose of 200µg/week. However, in France, the average mercury ingestion dose is 267µg/week. Although it is not advisable to ban sea bream, it should be consumed responsibly or avoided by pregnant women, children under 30 months and immunocompromised people. In the scientific journal Analytical and Clinical Toxicology, Marie Martin from the Raymond-Poincaré hospital in Garches explains that “the harmful health effects of consuming food or water contaminated by metals vary depending on the quantity consumed, the duration of exposure, of age.” But what is it exactly? The list is long: “alteration of renal, hepatic, cognitive functions and reproductive capacity, hypertension, neurological changes, skin damage and cancers”.
Santé Publique France recommends eating fish twice a week, alternating the consumption of a lean species, including sea bream, with a fatty species such as salmon and “varying the species and fishing locations”. Sea bream can be eaten but in moderation, only once a week. Choose a fresh piece from sustainable fishing.