I just had some hapuka, and found some parts of the fish containing a thick layer of fat. Similar to a piece of pork chop!

I was wondering if some fish contains "bad" fats as well as "good" fats. And if its advice-able to avoid eating the thick fat layer in some fish.

Cheers.

Most fish is good for you. BUT what you have to worry about is the mercury. Almost all fish is contaminated with trace amounts of mercury.

Fish that contain the highest level of mercury are larger and older sharks, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. It is probably a good idea for most people to avoid eating much of these fish. They can be replaced with other fish and shellfish such as shrimp, pollock, canned light tuna, salmon and catfish, which all contain much less mercury.

Besides mercury, fish can be a problem if it isn't prepared properly. Deep fried or served with a heavy, fat- and calorie-dense sauce will turn healthy fish into an unhealthy meal fast. So in other words learn to cook fish properly!

Wild Salmon, Herring, Rainbow Trout, Anchovies, Pacific Oysters and Sardines, where 4 ounces or less of these varieties will give you roughly 1gram of disease fighting and brain boosting omega 3's (the good fats).

If you want an easy way to boost your fish intake, but don't want to buy and cook fresh, remember that canned is inexpensive, easy to find and prepare. Remember however the importance of choosing the correct fish variety. Wild salmon is an excellent choice, "light or chunk" tuna is also good, but I would choose albacore and yellowfin tuna last due to their higher mercury levels.


Hope this helped!