Tuna Alternative for Health Conscious People

I am a self admitted tuna addict- but during my pregnancy last year, I became a little alarmed about the news I was hearing about mercury levels in my tuna and how it could affect my baby.  I had always thought I doing something good for my body- but my doctor cautioned me about eating too much tuna and advised me to keep it to a maximum 1-2 servings per week and to avoid Albacore Tuna (I was probably eating 4-5 servings a week).  

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services & the US Environmental Protection Agency, “some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child’s developing nervous system. The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.”

Ok, so what is an expecting or nursing mom who wants their tuna salad to do?  While in Oregon last week, I sampled Oregon’s Choice Albacore Tuna.  I had heard their fishing methods target younger fish from abundant stock that contain significant lower levels of mercury.  I will say their albacore tuna is the freshest and best tasting canned tuna I have found anywhere.  But putting that aside, they are family owned and utilize sustainable fishing methods.  Their hook and line Albacore fishery is now certified as eco-friendly by the Marine Stewardship Council (www.msc.org) via the American Albacore Fishing Association.

According to Oregon’s Choice; the longer the fish has been in the ocean, the more time it has to accumulate mercury. The fish they catch have not had the time to accumulate mercury as compared to the large amounts of mercury found in the large old  fish favored by major canners. The younger fish swim closer to the surface of the water, which is where they fish; while the older fish swim closer to the ocean floor. More information about very low levels of mercury in Albacore can be found at the American Albacore Fishermens Association. 

Here are a couple some other good reasons to try their Albacore Tuna:

There are 2450 mg. of Omega-3 Fatty Acids per 55 gram serving of our albacore tuna as opposed to leading commercial tuna companies that have Omega-3 content of 450 mg. per 55 gram serving.

The fish are harvested using hook and line methods that result in little or no bycatch. No nets are used in their dolphin-free fishery.

If you live on the West Coast, there are a number of food stores that carry their tuna.  However, you can also order from their Website.  The 6 oz. can of the Gourmet Albacore Tuna Lightly Salted is just over $4 plus shipping (but you actually get 6 full oz of tuna unlike the main commercial tuna companies) and you buy them in cases of 12 or 24.  

I recommend you try this recipe from the site that was emailed to them from a happy customer:

 

CALIFORNIA TUNA SALAD

1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind  3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons honey 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon liquid red pepper seasoning 1 ripe avocado 2 cans Oregon’s Choice Gourmet Albacore Albacore tuna, drained 1 sweet red pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch squares 1/2 of 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro   Whisk together lime rind and juice, olive oil, honey, cumin, salt and red pepper seasoning in medium size bowl until blended.  Pit and peel avocado; cube.  Add to dressing; toss to prevent discoloring.  Flake tuna into bowl with the avocado and dressing.  Add red pepper, water chestnuts and cilantro to tuna; toss to combine.  Serve chilled over bed of lettuce or use as a sandwich filling.

Eco Baby: The Diaper Discussion

I have to admit- while I am trying to make choices in my family life to make the world a better, greener place- there is something plaguing my conscious that involves my 6 month old……Disposable Diapers.  In the world of diapers, it feels like damned if you do- damned if you don’t! Before anyone passes judgement, consider the factors that went into my reasoning:  1.  Convenience convenience convenience 2.  Money   3.  My perception of cloth diapers being uncomfortable, unsanitary and not as eco friendly as we thought (the chemicals used to clean them in diaper services have been rumored to have as detrimental effect on the environment as the disposables).  

Since we are a work in progress, and I am willing to open my mind a bit more towards cloth diapers- especially after coming across this site Diaperaps.  If you are in the process of making the choice between cloth or disposable, I encourage you to include this site in your research.  They give really good reasons to use cloth diapers:  

Good Reasons for Choosing A Cloth Diapering System

1. Cotton is the Most Natural Diaperyou can put next to your baby’s skin. There is no need for gels or chemicals.

 

2. Do you know how a Disposable Diaper works? Do you know what’s in a disposable diaper (there are no ingredients listed on their package) ? Try this — cut a disposable diaper in half. Pour water on half and watch what happens. There are tiny chemical crystals that turn into a spongy gel when water hits them.

3. The Environment. A baby will use either 7,000 disposable diapers or 80 cotton diapers. A disposable diaper is used for 2 hours – a cloth diaper is used for 3 years. Think of all the resources used to produce a product that will last for only 2 hours and then be thrown away. Think about where all the billions of throw-away diapers are going to end up.

4. Less Diaper Rash. Studies have shown there is less diaper rash with the use of cotton diapers than with disposable diapers.

5. Cloth costs Less-a lot Less. You will save about $2000 if you use cloth over disposables. While disposables are priced very cheaply for the newborn sizes, as your baby grows the diapers start costing a lot more.

6. Cloth Diapers are Easy To Use. In your mom’s day you needed pins, rubber pants, and time to fold a long flat cloth into a diaper. Now with cotton prefold diapers and Diaperaps diaper covers, it is quick and easy to change your baby.

7. Babies Potty Train Earlier when they use cotton because they can feel the wetness.

8. It takes a cup full of crude oil to produce the plastic for one disposable diaper.

9. Babies learn by imitation. You can teach them by example, the responsible way of dealing with waste. You don’t just wrap it up and throw it away.

 

In addition, this company addresses my other fears about cloth diapering and gives me more reasons to consider this option:

My Fear:  Using pins in the diaper- NO THANKS!

The Diaperaps answer to my fear:  No pins.  They use a hook and loop system resembling velcro- evidently it is also really durable.

My Fear:  The awful chemicals used to clean the diapers 

The Diaperaps answer to my fear:  The site contains detailed instructions on how to launder and sanitize the diapers at home-using your washing machine.  

The Bottom Line (no pun intended): Lots of parents report that cloth diapers made of natural fibers such as cotton or hemp are better for their baby’s skin than the synthetic materials found in disposable diapers.  When used correctly, cloth diapering systems have been known to reduce skin rashes.  Clearly the disposable diaper issue needs further exploration and research- but I do encourage parents of a baby or toddler to consider both options before making a decision.