Plenty More Fish in the Sea? How to Choose Sustainable Seafood

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ezioman/ / CC BY 2.0

The Problem
 
While the old adage says there are “plenty more fish in the sea,” this is not as true as it once was. Overfishing and other poor fishing practices have brought levels of wild fish to extreme lows and destroyed crucial ocean habitats. According to Monterey Bay Aquarium, humans have removed “as much as 90 percent of the large predatory fish such as shark, swordfish and cod from the world's oceans.” Practices such as trawling the ocean floor by dragging nets across the bottom destroy delicate marine ecosystems and also result in “bycatch,” unwanted species of fish, turtles, and marine mammals and birds that are thrown, dead or dying, back into the ocean.  Better management and fishing practices are needed to reduce these damages.

Farming fish can be harmful as well. Industrial-scale aquaculture often results in pollution and the destruction of natural habitats, as well as the escape of farmed fish and diseases into wild fish populations.  Industrial aquaculture usually concentrates on raising large, predatory fish species, which are fed smaller, wild-caught fish, intensifying the impact.  However, some fish farmers are coming up with ways to minimize these negative outcomes and even contribute positively to habitat restoration and city water treatment.  For more information on innovative and ecologically sound aquaculture practices, see Senior Researcher Brian Halweil’s Worldwatch Report on Farming Fish for the Future.

Eating seafood raises concerns not only about the environment but also about human health.  Fish is usually viewed as a healthy food because it is a valuable source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for heart health.  However, many fish, especially predatory species, have high concentrations of mercury and other toxins.  Fish can ingest mercury, industrial chemicals, and pesticides from contaminated water; fish that eat other fish end up with much higher levels of these toxins in their bodies.  Ingesting mercury and other toxins can be harmful to human health, especially for more vulnerable people and pregnant women.


What You Can Do

As an ethivore, how can you minimize negative impacts on your health and the natural environment if you want to eat seafood? It is hard to speak in generalities since so much depends on the practices of the particular fishery or farm supplying the seafood. However, it is usually better, both for the environment and your health, to eat smaller, non-predatory species that do not require many other fish to support them and do not concentrate toxins as much. Try to choose seafood like tilapia, carp, and shellfish over tuna, salmon, or shrimp.

The best way to find out about a particular species and fishing/ farming practice is to consult a consumer guide before going to a grocery store or restaurant. Monterey Bay Aquarium’s “Seafood Watch” and the Environmental Defense Fund’s “Seafood Selector” are both excellent, well-researched guides. Both organizations have searchable databases online, printable quick guides, and downloadable guides for your mobile device. They also have specific guides for choosing sushi.  Monterey Bay Aquarium’s pocket guides are region-specific, making it easier to identify sustainable local choices. That organization also has a new “Super Green List” of fish that’s good for your health and the ocean.  Environmental Defense Fund has a useful Fish Substitutions page with suggested alternatives to the “Eco-Worst” choices that are similar in texture and flavor.

Another way to identify sustainable seafood is by looking for the Marine Stewardship Council label at the store or on your restaurant menu.  MSC certifies fish from wild fisheries that meet its standards for maintaining sustainable fish stocks, minimizing environmental impact, and effective management. You can also check which products are certified on the website.

All of this may seem like a lot to think about, but these organizations are making choosing sustainable seafood as effortless as possible.  Download a guide today and carry it with you.  It will come in handy the next time you're out to eat or standing at the seafood counter in the grocery store!

If you found this guide helpful, be sure to check out last month's “Quick Guide to Consumer Food Labels for Meat, Dairy, and Eggs.”

Finding Your Thanksgiving Turkey

With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, it's time to start thinking about where you're going to get your bird. Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate the bounty of the earth and enjoy the company of family and friends, so it is a great time to think about making food choices that support health, animal welfare, and the environment.  Instead of just heading to the supermarket for a factory-farmed turkey, why not connect with a local farmer to find a bird that has been raised sustainably and treated well?

You might also consider buying a "heritage" turkey.  99% of turkeys raised in the U.S. are of one breed, the "Broadbreasted White," which has been bred to suit industrial agriculture with its unusually large breasts.  The Food and Agriculture Organization says that these birds are unable to reproduce naturally and would die out within a generation without artificial insemination conducted by humans.  Without genetic diversity, the turkey population is also susceptible to being wiped out by disease.  Heritage turkey farmers are trying to bolster genetic diversity by raising various traditional turkey breeds, such as the Beltsville Small White, the Jersey Buff, the Narragansett, and the White Midget.

Here are some resources for finding your perfect holiday turkey:

Local Harvest allows you to search the Turkey Shop for organic, pastured, and heritage turkeys for pickup or delivery from local farms.

Using the advanced search option on the Eat Well Guide, you can search for turkeys with various characteristics (pasture raised, organic, vegetarian-fed) and find farms, stores, and butchers near you.

In the Midwest, you can find heritage turkeys from the Good Shepherd Turkey Ranch Consortium, made up of several farms in Kansas and Iowa.

 A turkey that has been raised sustainably and treated humanely not only looks and tastes better but also, as the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving meal, can be a great conversation starter to introduce family and friends to the idea of being an "ethivore."

How to Stock Your Pantry

It’s easy to reach for a take-out menu when you feel like there is nothing to eat in the house, or that cooking would be too much of a chore. But when you keep some staple foods on hand, you can whip up an easy dinner as quickly as the delivery person could get to your door. Cooking fresh, wholesome foods at home is better for your health, your budget, and, ultimately, the environment. Here is a guide to what I keep in my kitchen. These basic ingredients can be combined in a number of ways for easy meals, or supplemented with a few more unusual ingredients to yield fancier cuisine.

Cupboard
Brown rice
Quinoa
Rolled oats
Whole-wheat couscous
Whole-wheat pasta

What's In Season?

With fall in full swing, the grocery stores around here are brimming with bright orange pumpkins, colorful winter squash, and rosy apples, reflecting the bounty of nearby farms.  But the shelves are also stocked with more well-traveled items like oranges and grapes.  For people who are trying to keep their environmental impact low, as well as those who just enjoy eating fresh, flavorful food, selecting produce that's in season is the best choice.  And while it's easy to tell that oranges don't grow on trees around here, it can be harder to sort out which greens and veggies are in season at every moment.  Fortunately, there are some websites that make finding out what's in season in your particular location a snap, without complex charts.  One good site is the Natural Resources Defense Council's Eat Local page.  You can search its database using the box below.

Another great resource is Epicurious' Seasonal Ingredient Map,which lets you choose the month and then click your state on a map to see a list of in-season food items.  Each item also links to a page with tips on how to select, prepare, and store that food, as well as providing recipes.

Enjoy!

Quick Guide to Consumer Food Labels for Meat, Dairy, and Eggs

Several people have asked me how I decide what meat and eggs to buy when I chose to eat these things.  It can be extremely hard to sort out exactly what you’re getting when buying meat, dairy, and eggs, even when products are labeled with heartwarming terms like “cage-free” and “naturally raised.”  I think the best way to know what you’re getting is to go to local farmers’ markets (or better yet, farms!) and actually talk to the people raising the animals.  However, life gets busy and it’s usually much easier to run to the grocery store to grab something.  At the store, I personally try to look for meat that is “Certified Human Raised and Handled,” which you can find in some grocery stores like Whole Foods, and even occasionally in more mainstream stores.  (Find stores that carry the label here, or call your local grocery store and express interest.)  Other than that, I just try to find meat or eggs with the best available combination of labels.  You also often can find information about a particular company online.  For instance, I have been buying local, USDA organic, cage-free eggs from Organic Valley after reviewing the standards explained on their website (not exactly independent verification, but better than nothing).  Finding ethically produced meat, dairy, and eggs is anything but a straightforward process, but arming yourself with as much information can make it that much easier to find food with which you’re comfortable.

Here is a quick guide to frequently used terms:

Antibiotic-free: No USDA standard.  Animals raised without any administration of antibiotics.  Labeled by manufacturer; no independent verification.

Cage-free: No USDA standard.  Animals are raised without cages, but may still be confined in crowded conditions without access to the outdoors.

Certified Human Raised and Handled®: An independent label developed by the 501(c)3 nonprofit Humane Farm Animal Care.  The standards include, “nutritious diet without antibiotics, or hormones, animals raised with shelter, resting areas, sufficient space and the ability to engage in natural behaviors.”  All farms using the label are inspected yearly.

Free-range or free-roaming: Animals allowed to roam in pasture.  Labeled by manufacturer; no independent verification.

Fresh: USDA standards say “fresh” poultry can’t be cooled below 26 degrees Fahrenheit.  Although this is below freezing, the USDA standard for “frozen” poultry is 0 degrees Fahrenheit and below.  Regulated by the USDA.  No USDA standard for other meat or dairy.

Grass-fed: USDA standard for meat but not dairy cattle.  After weaning from milk, animals must consume only grass or forage.  During the growing season, they must have continual access to pasture; In the off-season they must be fed harvested grass or forage.  May still be given hormones or antibiotics.  If the product carries a “USDA Process Verified” shield, the USDA has physically inspected farms from which the meat originated.

Hormone-free: No synthetic hormones administered.  Federal law prohibits any administration of synthetic hormones to hogs and poultry but allows it for beef and dairy cattle. Labeled by manufacturer; no independent verification.

Irradiated/ Treated With Irradiation: Exposed to ionizing radiation, chemically altered from its natural state.  Whole irradiated foods are required to carry one of these labels and the “radura” symbol but processed foods and spices are not.  The USDA inspects plants for safety, but products are labeled by manufacturer; no independent verification.

Natural: USDA standards say that “natural” meat and poultry can’t contain artificial ingredients, including colors, flavors, or preservatives and should be processed minimally.  However, there are no requirements for how the animals were raised, what they ate, and whether they received antibiotics or hormones.  Labeled by manufacturer; no independent verification.

Naturally raised: USDA standards say the animals can’t be given antibiotics, growth promoters, or feed with animal by-products.  They may still be raised in factory farm conditions. Labeled by manufacturer; no independent verification.

Organic:  See USDA certified organic.

Pasture-raised or pastured: No USDA standard.  Animals raised on pasture, eating grass or native plants.  No indication of how much of its life an animal lived on pasture.

rBGH-free or rBST-free: Synthetic growth hormones not given to dairy cattle.  Due to pressure from Monsanto, products labeled “rBGH or rBST-free” now also must carry a disclaimer saying that the FDA has said there is no significant difference between this and milk produced with the hormone.  The FDA relied on Monsanto to study the health effects of its own genetically engineered growth hormone.

USDA certified organic: USDA standards disallow use of antibiotics, synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, genetic engineering, irradiation, or sewage sludge.  Animals feed 100% organic feed without growth hormones or animal byproducts.  Ruminant animals have continual access to the outdoors, but chickens may be confined.

Two great places to learn more about these and other consumer labels are GreenerChoices.org’s Eco-label Index and Food & Water Watch’s article “How Much Do Labels Really Tell You?”

If you have additional advice or thoughts to share, leave a comment!

Watch for a future post about selecting seafood!

Navigating the Vegetarian Kitchen

When I first declared myself a vegetarian (before transitioning to ethivore), I had to figure out how to change my cooking to exclude meat.  I had never been a huge meat eater anyway, but I found out, in trying not to eat any meat, that I really loved and relied on chicken in my kitchen.

My first solution to my quandary was to start buying soy and textured vegetable protein (TVP) meat analogs from the freezer section of our grocery store.  We ate “chik’n” nuggets, and soy burgers, or used crumbled versions of these products in traditional meat recipes.  I felt good about cutting out the meat.  But, as I started learning more about the environmental and health costs of our food choices, I began to question the wisdom of eating meat analogs rather than meat all the time.  For instance, MorningStar Chik’n nuggets have a list of 50 ingredients, including several additives that I can’t even pronounce let alone know what they are.  And just 4 nuggets contain 25% of the recommended daily value of sodium!  Boca Burgers have a slightly shorter, but no more decipherable, ingredient list.  When I thought about all the steps in the industrial agricultural food chain that it took to transform those soybeans from their natural state into something that looks and tastes (somewhat) like meat… I knew that I was defeating one of the purposes I had in becoming vegetarian.  I wanted to lessen my impact on the environment.  And I wanted to be healthy doing it!

When I decided that I needed to get away from relying on meat analogs, I found myself back at square one.  How do I put nutritionally balanced, tasty food on the table when I am so busy with grad school, work, and life?  Fortunately, I found some great cookbooks and nutritional advice along the way.  (I’ll be featuring some cookbooks in future posts, so check back for suggestions and recipes!)  I found that the most helpful cookbooks divided main dishes into categories like “pasta,” “beans/ peas/ lentils,” and “grains.”  This is great because it allows you to think outside the meat-potato-vegetable paradigm.  Plus, legumes and whole grains are great sources of vegetable protein.  I also found that in recipes where meat is not the main event but just another ingredient, it’s usually fairly easy to substitute beans, tofu, or mushrooms.

Here are some easy supper ideas:

• Open-face vegetable sandwich made with vegetables cooked on the grill or under the broiler, heaped onto sliced whole-grain bread with melted cheese
• Whole-wheat couscous with a quick stir-fry of some combination of vegetables, topped with cashews or other nuts or seeds (or, if you want to get a little fancy, serve in a half squash or a bell pepper)
• Quinoa pilaf or salad- Quinoa is protein-rich and makes a good substitute for rice or other grains
• Artichoke and spinach lasagna (or other casserole dishes) you can make ahead and freeze
• Bean tacos or enchiladas
• Rice and beans or lentils

I’ll be posting more tips and recipes in the future.  Leave feedback or suggestions, or share your own story or helpful hints in the comments box!