Hooked on fish: delicious ways to add low-fat protein to your diet.(Recipe)

Fish is the most widely consumed animal protein in the world -- probably because its the most available. Fish contains less fat and cholesterol than lean meat (and is easier digest), plus it's a good source of minerals. But the most compelling reason to eat fish is that it's loaded with omega-3 fatty acids that can:

* Decrease the risk of heart disease;

* Lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure; and

* Ease the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

In spite of the many health benefits of seafood, toxic chemicals and over-fishing of certain species have led some health and environmental specialists to advise scaling back on fish. The biggest issue is mercury, which has been connected to fetal damage and brain development problems in children. It also is thought to contribute to cardiovascular disease in adults.

In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has warned pregnant women to avoid certain types of seafood, including tuna, shark and swordfish. Other potentially hazardous substances in seafood include chemical pollutants like PCBs -- synthetic oils found in electrical transformers, cutting oils and carbon-less paper -- and dioxin, an industrial byproduct of paper bleaching and waster incineration.

Meanwhile, over-fishing has lead to a dwindling supply of certain species, including shrimp, sword-fish, grouper, orange roughy and scallops. But farmed fish aren't necessarily the answer either, as many fish farms use hormones and antibiotics to increase growth and prevent disease.