Seafood and Health

Sorting Fact from Fiction

A lot of information is swimming around about the potential health benefits and risks associated with consuming fish and other seafood. We’ve developed this website to help health professionals and the public sort fact from fiction.

Almost daily, it seems, we hear conflicting reports on the benefits and risks of eating seafood. This fragmented information can result in controversy and confusion over seafood’s role in a healthy diet.

However, Health Canada and other experts around the world agree that seafood is an important part of a healthy diet. Furthermore, the seafood available for sale on the Canadian market, whether domestic or imported, is safe.

You can make the most of the nutritional and health benefits of seafood while minimizing any health risks by following Health Canada’s current advice, including: Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide, fish consumption advisories for specific at-risk groups and for the general population, and recommendations on safe food handling techniques.

The Government of Canada believes that people need accurate and objective information to help make informed decisions about seafood consumption. This website puts the up-to-date science and guidance at your fingertips.

Background

The Seafood Value Chain Roundtable—established by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in partnership with industry and a range of federal and provincial government departments—developed this web-based resource to provide health professionals and the public with access to clear and up-to-date science-based information on seafood and health.

This website resource is based on the most recent authoritative reports and reviews on the health benefits and risks of seafood consumption, including the evidence behind the 2007 Canada’s Food Guide recommendation to eat at least two Food Guide Servings of fish each week. In development of the resource, current consumption data were also considered, along with research on how best to support consumer decisions regarding consumption and to mitigate health risks for at-risk groups.

Note that although methods of seafood production, harvesting, and processing have important environmental consequences, consideration of environmental concerns related to seafood is only highlighted briefly as it was beyond the scope of this resource. Recommendations for dietary fat and fatty acids for treatment of disease or clinical practice are also outside the scope of this resource.