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3 Major Seafood Myths The "Salmon Queen" Wants To Debunk
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Gigi Ashworth eats 12 pounds of salmon per week—yes, you read that right. It might seem like overkill, but for an allergen-friendly food personality and cook affectionately known as "The Salmon Queen." we wouldn’t expect anything less!
Ashworth's struggle with autoimmune disease led her to a passion for allergen-friendly and keto-diet-approved recipes, the majority of which feature the omega-3-rich fish. "Every single time I eat salmon, I just feel like a million bucks," she shares on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast.
Her adoration for salmon has sparked some curiosity (understandably so). Does she rank one type of salmon over another? Does she ever worry about her mercury exposure? How does she not get bored with seafood?
Ashworth answers these and more in the episode—but first, see below for some popular myths she wants to debunk:
No, she's not at risk for mercury poisoning
"People slide into my DMs on Instagram and they're like, 'Are you poisoned by mercury?' I'm like, 'No, I'm not,'" Ashworth affirms. "Salmon is one of the lowest in mercury content."
See, the higher up the fish food chain you go (aka bigger fish), the more likely you'll find higher levels of mercury. That's why experts recommend opting for smaller tinned fish and seafood like wild salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring. (A great acronym to keep in mind is SMASH!)
"I avoid swordfish. I avoid shark. I avoid all of the high-mercury content fish," Ashworth explains. "But salmon is very, very low in the mercury world." Still, she calculated how much mercury she eats in a week with her 12 pounds of salmon. It turns out, she's under the FDA's reference dose (aka, the level of exposure that is assumed without risk), which is 0.1 microgram of mercury per kilogram of bodyweight per day1.
What's more, "I feel amazing," she says. "I don't have any sort of symptoms that mercury poisoning would typically show. My hair isn't falling out, I'm not super tired or anything…" Of course, you should do what's best for your own body and monitor your own mercury levels, if it's something that concerns you. But Ashworth herself is fine—trust!
Sushi-grade doesn't exist
"There really is no such thing as sushi-grade," claims Ashworth. There is no official regulation for sushi-grade fish, she explains, so any label you see is likely marketing. In fact, 'All fish has to be frozen to a specific temperature for about two days, and then it can be thawed and consumed raw. That is the regulation in the United States," she explains.
So unless you're actually in a Japanese fish market or any place where they catch and serve the seafood right in front of you, it's likely been frozen in transit. This is a good thing—the flash-freezing process is what kills any potential parasites.
Now, that's not to say there aren't standards for high-quality raw fish. "You could simply ask, 'Where did the fish come from?' Typically, they'll say a market in Japan," Ashworth explains. "Secondly, you can ask, 'Was this previously frozen?' Those are really the only two questions you need to know." A high-quality supplier should know that raw fish must be flash frozen in transit.
"Farm-raised" isn't a dirty word
Ashworth wants to reshape the narrative on farmed fish. It's true that farm-raised environments have their issues—for instance, farmed salmon can harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria when grown on a farm that uses antibiotics2.
However, not all farms are built on harmful fishing practices. In fact, many farms rely on sustainable and responsible methods to raise the most high-quality fish out there. "When I eat my farmed salmon, I'm researching up the wazoo: what they're fed, how they're made, how they maintain the cleanliness of the pens, their sustainability… All of those things I research and take into account," Ashworth explains.
Some of her favorite suppliers include Kvarøy Arctic, Blue Circle Foods, MOWI Salmon, and Bakkafrost, all of which are reputable and high-quality. "I don't think people should pooh-pooh farm-raised salmon like they're doing," she adds. "When [people] start talking smack about it, I'm just like, 'You guys are showing off the fact that you're not educated in the fish world.'"
The takeaway
Arguably no one loves salmon as much as Ashworth. She has dedicated a career to educating others on its many health benefits—as well as busting some pervasive seafood myths. The only question that remains: What's Ashworth's favorite way to prepare her salmon? We suggest listening to the full episode to find out.
We hope you enjoy this episode! And don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or YouTube!
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