Sushi is an extremely popular way to consume fish—and that too raw. While the dish, originally from Japan, has become popular across the world as a comfort food, its immense health benefits are not unknown. However, experts believe it is best to limit or completely eliminate raw fish from your diet, as eating raw or partially cooked seafood increases your risk of exposure to bacteria, parasites, and pollutants that can make you very sick.

Across the world, other forms of raw fish like sashimi, sushi, ceviche, oysters, and tuna tartare are extremely popular. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say it is risky to consume fish or any meat that is raw or undercooked.

When not cooked, fish increases the risk of food poisoning and contracting foodborne bacteria like Listeria, Salmonella, or E. coli, among others. This is why pregnant women are recommended not to eat fish.

Other sensitive groups include people aged 65 years or older, young children, and those who are immunocompromised. They also experience more severe symptoms if they contract foodborne illness, which can lead to hospitalization. If, after eating raw fish, you experience signs of food poisoning such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, or stomach cramps, contact your doctor immediately.

A few risks caused by raw fish exposure can lead to:

Doctors say the surface of fish can be loaded with bacteria. And so, even if you partially cook fish, it can lead to more bacterial growth.

Eating raw and undercooked fish and oysters increases the risk of getting sick from bacterial infection, which includes Vibrio which causes an infection known as vibriosis. A mild vibriosis infection causes severe diarrhoea and vomiting, along with skin lesions and blisters.

Apart from bacteria, consumption of raw fish also leads to exposure to parasites like tapeworms, especially if you eat freshwater fish without cooking.

These infections are most common in Europe, North America, and Asia.

A few kinds of fish, like sharks and swordfish, also have high levels of pollutants like dioxins and methylmercury, which are highly toxic and have a prolonged breakdown time in the environment. These compounds contribute to severe health conditions like cancer, immune system damage, reproductive problems, and nerve tissue toxicity.

To eat raw fish safely, make sure to freeze it beforehand, as frozen seafood is not entirely germ-free but can kill parasites in the food. However, doctors suggest the safest way to eat seafood is to cook it by ensuring it reaches an internal temperature of at least 145 Fahrenheit.

Also, while there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation of how much raw fish you should eat, the recommendation for cooked fish is two servings of fish per week.

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