| In our modern day, it seems that nearly
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| | consists of live fish, clams, crabs,
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| everything we eat carries the risk of
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| | mussels and sea urchins. Lobsters do eat
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| being unhealthy. Eating fish has known
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| | dead bait in traps, but humans eat dead
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| health benefits, yet some species of fish
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| | fish too! Ask any lobsterman, and they
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| may contain unsafe levels of mercury and
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| | will tell you: the fresher the bait, the
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| PCB's. Eating fresh fruit is known to be
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| | better it will "fish." This is trade
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| healthy, yet many fruits are sprayed with
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| | language which, when translated, means
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| chemical pesticides the residues of which
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| | that if you put fresh bait in your traps
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| are of questionable risk. The same can be
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| | it will attract more lobsters. Old bait
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| said of vegetables.
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| | does not attract many lobsters at all.
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| Whether the above mentioned food items
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| | When fish gets old and borderline
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| are healthy or unhealthy is beyond the
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| | saleable at a seafood market, it begins
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| scope of this article. It does point out,
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| | to emit an ammonia smell. At that point,
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| though, that the debate continues on
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| | which can be about 5 to 7 days after
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| which foods contribute to good health,
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| | being caught, it is no longer appealing
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| and which foods pose a health risk. This
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| | to humans. It is the same for lobsters.
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| article will present information for the
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| | They prefer live, fresh food, but will
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| reader to determine which camp lobster
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| | eat dead bait in traps if it is fresh and
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| belongs in: healthy or unhealthy.
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| | not old.
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| Let's start with the few arguments that
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| | This last argument against lobster as a
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| put forth the case that lobster is
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| | healthy food is the weakest and not based
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| unhealthy. There are not many. We've read
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| | upon fact at all, but rather on fallacy:
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| that one doctor advises against eating
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| | lobsters eat primarily live food, not
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| lobster because it may contain parasites
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| | decaying, rotting dead fish.
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| and viruses. Nothing like pointing out
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| | Now we'll look at the factors in favor of
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| the obvious. Every living creature on
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| | lobster being a healthy food.
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| Earth may contain parasites and viruses,
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| | There are several health reasons that
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| which is why any animal-based food
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| | lobster should be eaten. The first comes
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| product should be cooked before being
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| | from the American Heart Associations Page
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| eaten. Cooking eliminates this risk. One
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| | on Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids which
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| risk that cooking will not eliminate is
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| | recommends eating fish at least 2 times
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| excess levels of mercury. No matter how
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| | per week. A quote from the American Heart
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| much you cook any fish or seafood item,
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| | Association is worth sharing here, "Fish
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| it will not remove mercury.
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| | is a good source of protein and doesn't
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| How much mercury does lobster have?
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| | have the high saturated fat that fatty
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| Before we answer that question, we need
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| | meat products do."
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| to look a little at mercury and the
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| | Lobster is indeed an excellent source of
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| reasons it is in seafood to begin with.
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| | lean protein. 100 grams of lobster meat
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| The FDA states in their report "What you
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| | contains 98 calories, 21 grams of
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| need to know about mercury in fish and
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| | protein, and only 0.6 grams of fat.
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| shellfish" that "nearly all fish and
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| | Contrast that to 100 grams of white,
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| shellfish contain traces of mercury" and
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| | skinless chicken meat which has 168
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| that "Mercury occurs naturally in the
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| | calories, 31 grams of protein, and 3.6
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| environment and can also be released into
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| | grams of fat. Gram for gram, even
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| the air through industrial pollution.
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| | skinless chicken contains in excess of
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| Mercury falls from the air and can
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| | 500% more fat than lobster. Lean beef
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| accumulate in streams and oceans."
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| | contains more than 10 times as much fat
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| What can be gleaned from this report are
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| | as lobster. Obviously, lobster is an
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| two facts. One, that all fish and
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| | excellent source of lean protein.
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| shellfish contain traces of mercury. Two,
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| | Lobster is more than just a lean source
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| Mercury occurs naturally as well. If
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| | of protein. Lobster also contains Omega-3
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| mercury occurs naturally, it is probably
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| | fatty acids, which are associated with
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| safe to assume that all fish and
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| | good heart health. There are several
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| shellfish have always contained traces of
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| | valuable benefits from a diet which
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| mercury. Which begs the question: are
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| | regularly contains Omega-3 fatty acids.
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| mercury levels in fish and shellfish any
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| | Again quoting from the American Heart
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| higher now than they were 50 or 100 years
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| | Association, "The ways that omega-3 fatty
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| ago? The answer is that scientists do no
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| | acids reduce CVD (cardio-vascular
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| know for sure, as tests for mercury in
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| | disease) risk are still being studied.
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| fish were not done back then. Regardless,
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| | However, research has shown that they
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| the FDA lists four fish varieties that
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| | decrease risk of arrhythmias, which can
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| have higher level of mercury than all
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| | lead to sudden cardiac death, decrease
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| others: shark, swordfish, king mackerel,
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| | triglyceride levels, decrease growth rate
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| and tilefish. They also list five that
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| | of atherosclerotic plaque, and lower
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| are very low in mercury: shrimp, canned
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| | blood pressure (slightly)." The report
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| light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish.
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| | further states, "Large-scale
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| Lobster is closer to the 5 on the low end
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| | epidemiologic studies suggest that people
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| than the 4 on the high end.
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| | at risk for coronary heart disease
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| Even the 4 fish varieties that have
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| | benefit from consuming omega-3 fatty
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| higher levels of mercury are safe to eat
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| | acids from plants and marine sources."
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| in moderation for all people other than
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| | Lobster does not contain as much Omega-3
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| pregnant mothers, and mothers nursing
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| | fatty acids as salmon, which has the
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| infant children. It is only these 4
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| | highest content, but is a good source
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| varieties that should be avoided in the
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| | nonetheless.
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| two circumstances just mentioned. Lobster
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| | In summary, lobster is high in protein,
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| is not included in the list of fish to
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| | extremely low in fat, is a beneficial
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| avoid when pregnant.
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| | source of Omega-3 fatty acids which are
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| The final argument against lobster that
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| | healthy for the heart and reduce the
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| we have heard is not based on science at
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| | growth rate of plaque. Lobsters feed
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| all. The argument is that lobsters are
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| | primarily on live food: fish, crabs,
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| bottom feeders and eat decaying and
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| | clams and mussels. Lobster have a very
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| rotting fish that sink to the bottom. The
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| | healthy diet which would be beneficial to
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| logic of the argument is that since
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| | humans, not harmful to them.
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| lobsters are eating these things that
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| | There you have the arguments for and
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| aren't healthy for people, people
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| | against lobster as a healthy food source.
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| shouldn't be eating lobsters. The problem
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| | The evidence suggests lobster is a very
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| with this argument is that it is not
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| | healthy food choice. Not only is it very
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| based on facts. The fact is that lobsters
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| | healthy, it tastes absolutely
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| eat mainly live food. Their primary diet
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| | extravagant. Enjoy your lobster!
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