Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen cite U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish as a good choice
Waterloo, ON (May 28, 2009) - The You Docs, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen of Oprah Winfrey fame, recently recommended U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish to their readers in their syndicated column. The You Docs column offers medical and health advice and is read in newspapers across Canada and the U.S. The You Docs posted the following response to a reader’s question about U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish:
Farm-raised catfish flavorful, inexpensive and a healthy source of protein: You Docs
Q: So many restaurants are serving catfish, and people keep telling me it’s healthy. I thought it was considered a dirty bottom-feeder, and that you had to be careful with it. Which is it — healthy, or not? – Julie, New York City
A: If you’re ordering it at a reputable restaurant or buying it at the store rather than catching it out on a lazy river somewhere, the humble catfish is A-OK to eat. In fact, U.S. farm-raised catfish is a good fish choice: It’s flavorful and inexpensive, it’s considered eco-friendly and sustainable, and one 3-ounce serving has about 25% of your daily protein needs.
The disparaging “dirty bottom-feeder” slur pertains primarily to wild catfish, which generally feed in shallow, muddy river water, exposing them to toxins such as PCBs and pesticides that have accumulated in the sediment. These pollutants can get stored in fish fat for years — the main reason to avoid wild catfish.
Farm-raised catfish, on the other hand, really don’t deserve the name-calling. They are raised in clean, fresh water and are typically fed soybeans, corn, and rice. The disappointment: They contain less of the valuable omega-3 fat than they used to. A recent study of fish purchased in the United States shows that only farmed salmon and trout contain appreciable amounts of omega-3s. What happened with catfish? We don’t know. But it could be fish-farming techniques.
In any case, catfish is a good source of protein laden with nonsaturated fat. If you do reach for this fish, make sure you’re getting the good stuff: Look for a package label that says, “U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish.”
U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish is growing in popularity due to its mild, slightly sweet flavour, meaty texture and because it’s one of the most sustainable fish choices. It is endorsed by SeaChoice, the Endangered Fish Alliance, Sierra Club, Audubon Society and Monterey Bay Aquarium. Many grocery fresh fish counters now make sustainable fish selection easier by listing the country of origin and whether the fish is wild-caught or farmed.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is professor and vice chairman of surgery at Columbia University in New York City, director of the Cardiovascular Institute and founder and director for the Complementary Medicine Program at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. He is a regular contributor to The Oprah Winfrey Show and Oprah.com. Dr. Roizen, is chief wellness officer and chair of the Wellness Institute of the Cleveland Clinic. He is the creator of the RealAge test, which determines biological, rather than calendar, age.
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