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Nutritionists have long extolled the virtues of Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil. One recent study even suggests that a diet high in fish may help combat depression. And wasabi combats the intestinal parasites that are ready to invade your intestines when you eat sushi, so it’s been good news all ’round for fish lovers.
Unfortunately, this piscine idyll may be coming to an end, particularly if you like to eat your fish fresh out of Utah Lake. State agencies now advise that less-healthful compounds—polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs—may be present in fish caught there.
This came on the heels of reports of mercury-tainted crappie in Cache County. (Mercury, the wacky metal that stays liquid at room temperature, is loads of fun to play with, but not so good for your nerves when ingested.)
It was surprising to learn that anglers were eating fish out of Utah Lake. The state recommends that women and children avoid it like the plague. Men—who, apparently, are expendable—may consume one 4-ounce portion of PCB-laden fish per month. cw