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It’s Shark Week, and for all their mystery, power and danger, some shark species are also prized as seafood.
Shark is eaten in many parts of the world and is especially popular in Brazil, Iceland, South Korea, Japan, Spain and Portugal. While it’s far less common in the United States due to sustainability and health concerns, it can still be found at some restaurants and seafood markets.
In many countries, shark meat is an inexpensive protein, with almost 18 grams of protein in an average 3-ounce raw portion, but it can also contain dangerous levels of toxins.
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“Shark meat does provide high-quality protein, along with nutrients such as selenium and certain B vitamins, making it a good source of lean protein. However, its drawbacks generally outweigh its benefits,” Lisa Young, registered dietitian and adjunct professor of nutrition at New York University, told Fox News Digital.
“Because sharks are large, long-lived predators at the top of the food chain, they tend to accumulate high levels of mercury and other environmental contaminants over time,” she said.
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The lean, high-quality protein and valuable micronutrients, including selenium, B12, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) that shark meat contains, also come with the highest mercury burden in the commercial market, Kantha Shelke, senior lecturer of food safety regulations at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, told Fox News Digital.
“Nutritionally, one can get just as much or more from salmon and sardines but without the risk,” Shelke said.
“If pregnant, planning to be, breastfeeding or feeding children, please skip it.”
The high mercury concentration can adversely affect the central nervous system, especially the developing fetal brain, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women and children.
“Sharks also contain arsenic, another dangerous [heavy-metal contaminant] to avoid,” Shelke said.
“For healthy adults, shark should not be a regular part of the diet,” Young said.
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“If someone chooses to eat it, it should be an occasional food rather than a staple. It’s generally wiser to select lower-mercury seafood more often to meet the recommendation of eating seafood about twice a week.”
Brazil has long been the world’s top consumer of shark meat, National Geographic reported. A traditional delicacy in Iceland is hákarl, made by fermenting Greenland shark using a centuries-old preservation method that makes it safe to eat.
It smells similar to cleaning products, thanks to its high ammonia content, according to National Geographic.
Overfishing has greatly depleted some shark populations overseas, but in the U.S., “shark fisheries are some of the most sustainable in the world,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports.
Some shark species are sold as substitutes for other seafood and have been used in the U.S. in dishes such as fish and chips and fish pie, as well as in some imitation crab products, according to Tasting Table. It is also served during certain seasons on the Gulf Coast as grilled shark steaks or fried as shark bites or in tacos.
K&S Roti Shop and Jamaican Restaurant in Stratford, Connecticut, serves a traditional Caribbean dish from the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago that incorporates breaded shark meat. It’s likely the only restaurant in the state to serve shark, Connecticut Insider reported.
Eating shark “as a one-time culinary experience for the novelty” is fine, Shelke said, but she cautioned not to exceed “your weekly mercury budget” by also eating tuna steak or swordfish that week.
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“If pregnant, planning to be, breastfeeding or feeding children, please skip it,” she said.
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