When you're standing in the fish aisle eyeing the rows of unblinking selections, it can be more than a little challenging trying to remember which ones are the safest choices for you (and the environment). Which means it's more than a little tempting to skip the swimmers altogether. But a new report from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) shows that making some strategic choices can make a huge impact.
According to the new report, blood mercury levels in women of childbearing age have dropped 34% in the past decade. And here's the thing: The women studied weren’t cutting back on fish intake, which is where US women get their mercury exposure, says Betsy Southerland, director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water. The difference, then, can only be pinned to women opting for fish with lower levels of mercury.