Mercury is a metal found naturally in fish. According to the United States Food and Drug Administration, mercury can be toxic to humans if consumed in large quantities. At high levels mercury can damage the nervous system, kidneys and liver. It is especially dangerous to pregnant women because it can damage a fetus. Some fish contain such high levels of mercury that the FDA considers them unsafe to eat in any quantity. They say more than one part per million of mercury is dangerous to your health. Mercury builds up in your system, so the more fish you eat the more mercury your body retains.
Tilefish
According to Columbia University, tilefish have more mercury than any other variety of fish. This is because tilefish are large and can consume greater quantities of smaller fish. The more small fish tilefish consume, the more mercury the tilefish build up in their bodies. Tilefish contain about 1.45 parts per million of mercury.
Shark
Sharks contain the second highest levels of mercury found in fish. A 1990 survey by the Federal Department of Administration Food Division found that shark contains about 0.99 parts per million of mercury.
King Mackerel
A 2000 Gulf of Mexico report found that king mackerel has 0.73 parts per million of mercury. The report recommends eating no more than 3 oz. of king mackerel in a week to avoid mercury buildup in your body.
Swordfish
According to Stanford University, swordfish should be avoided by women who are pregnant or nursing. Swordfish, along with tilefish, shark and king mackerel, all contain levels of mercury that can damage a fetus. Swordfish has 0.97 parts per million of mercury.
Salmon
Salmon is a good option if you are looking for a fish containing very low levels of mercury. Farmed salmon contains less than 0.1 parts of mercury per million. This is one of the lowest amounts of any fish. Stanford University says you can safely eat up to four 3 oz. servings of salmon every week without worrying about mercury. Other seafood containing less than 0.1 parts per million of mercury include catfish, clams, crab, flounder and oysters.
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