‘The Wellness Process’ Just Changed Everything You Thought You Knew About ‘Fresh’ Fish

If you’ve ever hovered over the fish counter wondering what’s actually safe to bring home, this episode of The Wellness Process will calm your entire nervous system. Host Elizabeth Endres sits down with Seatopia cofounder James Arthur, who makes a compelling case that the wellness world’s obsession with “fresh, wild-caught” might be steering us in the wrong direction. He breaks down why wild fish can carry parasites, why “fresh” often just means slowly oxidizing on ice. And how regenerative aquaculture can give you far cleaner, lower-mercury, microplastic-free seafood.

Regenerative Seafood: The Wellness Process Reveals What’s Best

Why ‘fresh’ isn’t always best

Most of us assume the fish sitting on ice at the market is the gold standard, but James breaks down why that’s often the opposite of true. “Fresh” fish can spend days in transit and on display, slowly oxidizing and developing that telltale fishy smell we all try to avoid. As James points out, “fish are not fishy in the ocean”—that smell shows up when delicate fats are exposed to oxygen for too long.

There’s also the parasite factor. Wild fish, especially predatory species like salmon and swordfish, commonly carry living organisms. That’s why guides in Alaska warn people not to eat their freshly caught salmon raw. Without super-freezing—which you absolutely cannot do in a home freezer—those parasites stay active.

Add in the unpredictable temperature swings of transport, storage, and fish counters, and the “fresh” label starts to feel more like marketing than a guarantee of quality.

Super-frozen fish, on the other hand, is locked in at peak freshness within hours. No oxidation, no mushiness, far fewer safety concerns. “If you super freeze it, you can create an environment that would destroy potential living organisms,” James explains, noting that properly frozen seafood can actually be safer and taste better than something sitting out on ice.

How regenerative aquaculture raises the bar

“Farmed” fish isn’t a dirty word—it just depends on how the farming is done. Regenerative aquaculture is the seafood version of choosing grass-fed, pasture-raised beef over industrial feedlot meat. The difference comes down to environment, density, and what the fish are actually eating. James explains that many fish in the wild accumulate parasites and pollutants because they’re eating organisms from environments where those issues are common. In a controlled, regenerative system, those risks drop dramatically. “Clean inputs, clean outputs,” as he puts it.

Feed is a huge part of this. Traditional farming often relies on GMO corn, soy, or lower-quality oils that skew the fish’s omega profile and increase inflammation. Regenerative farms use microalgae and insect protein—foods these species naturally thrive on. That results in fish with higher levels of EPA and DHA, a healthier omega-3 to omega-6 ratio, and far less contamination.

These systems also reduce strain on wild fish populations, avoid over-harvesting finite resources, and create a traceable, transparent supply chain. Instead of guessing what your fish ate or how it lived, you actually know.

The thawing and cooking techniques most people get wrong

If you’ve ever tossed a vacuum-sealed fillet into a bowl of water and called it a day, James wants you to know that you’re sabotaging your fish. Most people defrost seafood the same way they defrost chicken—sealed, wet, and rushed—which he explains is the fastest way to ruin the texture and create a little “petri dish environment.” 

He suggests taking the fish out of the bag while it’s still frozen, wrapping it tightly in paper towels (or “tuna paper” if you want to get nerdy), and letting it defrost slowly in the fridge. As it thaws, the towels wick away excess moisture, making the fish tighter, cleaner, and better flavored. Change the towels once they’re saturated, and by the 24–48-hour mark you’ve basically “dry-aged” your fillet without trying.

To hear more fish cooking tips and insights on seafood, listen to the full episode of The Wellness Process.

Read More

• Scared of Dry Turkey? Katie Lee Biegel’s Got Your Thanksgiving Meal Covered on ‘All on the Table’
• ‘The Wellness Process’ Explains Why 15-Minute Workouts Can Actually Be More Beneficial for Women
• Tired of ‘Starting Monday’? Violet Benson’s 4-Step Habit Hack Actually Works