The Best Fish

Since one of the most nutritious parts of fish is the omega-3 content, wild-caught fish is the better choice (the recommended daily amount is 1–1.5 grams), and harvested in season, it has less impact on the environment. Farmed is not a horrible option if it’s domestic. Go for farmed arctic char, rainbow trout, and salmon from Norway or Chile if you can’t find wild, since they will still pack a decent amount of omega-3s.

Salmon is a great source but has a high overall fat content that most of us cannot consume regularly without overdoing it on the calories—keep it to once a week. Some fish, like tilefish, shark, and swordfish, should be avoided because of high mercury levels; others, like albacore tuna, should be eaten only once a week. If you’re a fan of canned tuna, get the light Pacific kind: It’s lower in mercury and higher in omega-3 fatty acids compared with albacore. You can also choose fresh Pacific-caught tuna steaks specified as light or skipjack, bluefin or yellowfin tuna. Consume moderately—up to 12 ounces a week—and it’s very accommodating to a low- or high-calorie diet.

 BEST BETS 

• Alaskan Cod
• Alaskan Salmon (wild)
• Arctic Char (farmed)
• Black/Red
• Grouper
• Catfish
• Pacific Halibut
• Pacific Albacore/Yellowfin Tuna
• Pacific Sardines
• Rainbow Trout (farmed)
• Sablefish/Black Cod

 STAY AWAY FROM 

• Atlantic Bluefin
• Basa/Swai/Tra, often called catfish (imported)
• Atlantic Cod
• Atlantic Halibut
• Atlantic Sardines
• Grouper (imported)
• Tuna
• Orange Roughy
   Coupons
• Sharks
• Snapper (imported)
• Swordfish (imported)