Is fresh fish actually fresh?

 When given two options, most people choose what they perceive to be the healthiest choice.  Choosing ‘Fresh’ fish (more expensive) over Frozen fish is a common real world example of this. But, is ‘Fresh’ fish the healthier option? Is Fresh fish actually fresh? Is it worth the extra money?

When you go to the grocery store there are often elaborate display cases full of ‘fresh’ fish filets and other assortments of shellfish. With little hesitation, one would likely assume that the fish in the ‘fresh’ case is the healthier option compared to the pre- packaged frozen fish in the nearby freezer. But would they be correct?

As it turns out, fish decomposes faster than any other animal protein. When stored for only 12 hours in the refrigerator, the fish proteins that we eventually digest actually change. The reason for the change is histamine growth, which can increase twenty fold in a twelve-hour period. That is why the ‘freshest’ fish is actually gutted, bled, and immediately soaked in an iced brine bath on the vessel.

For those of you who suffer from allergies, you might know that taking anti-histamines blocks allergy symptoms. As you can imagine, additional histamines in the body make your allergies worse. The primary reason for this is because Histamine is a potent neurotransmitter that triggers the inflammatory response. When your inflammatory response is triggered your immune system is compromised and becomes more susceptible to additional pathogens. (ie. your body thinks its in a fight) Ingestion of histamines is especially detrimental to your immune health if you are already dealing with gut issues like IBS or Crohn’s disease.

So, the next time you’re at the grocery store, choose the frosted ‘fresher fish’. Doing so will save you from exposure of up to twenty times the level of histamine that can be found in the store defrosted and presented as ‘fresh’ fish. And, It’s CHEAPER! Scam exposed.

In Health,

Brad Newman