This Man Ate Fish For A Year So That You Don't Have To

Busting' em fishy myths!

Posted on

2 May 2017

image credit:pbs.org

Fish has long been touted as a superfood rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Time and again, we’ve been told to eat fish for various health benefits including lowering blood pressure and reducing the chances of stroke.

But imagine eating fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner — every single meal — for 365 days. What would that mean for your health?
It’s a question that Paul Greenberg, the best-selling author of American Catch and Four Fish set out to investigate in his new FRONTLINE documentary, The Fish on My Plate.

Greenberg’s ate almost 700 various types of seafood dishes to understand which fish are good for him and good for the planet.

The results, unfortunately — did nothing to improve his health.

He started the year with a slightly high blood pressure, minor cholesterol issues, depression and lack of sleep. After surviving on fish for an entire year — his health issues remained pretty much the same.

In fact, his year-end checkup showed a slight rise in blood pressure — a likely result of increased salt intake. To make the matter worse, he had elevated mercury levels, which were actually harmful to his brain function.

A post shared by Paul Greenberg (@4fishgreenberg) on Mar 3, 2017 at 5:38am PST

Does Greenberg's study means you should stop eating fish?

Absolutely not.

Though Greenberg's health remained unaffected by all omega-3 fatty acids intake. He claimed in an interview to BuzfeedNews that he felt better and had others comment that he looked better after the seafood-filled year. He also argued that eating fish is much better for the environment than eating any land-based creature.