eli5 why are mussels considered healthy even though they filter dirty water

Question

Mussels and clams are considered to be very healthy. However their natural ‘job’ is cleaning seawater. Considering all the pollution in the oceans which is filtered by the mussels, how can they still be healthy and not be considered dirty or even toxic ?

In: 7

Answer 1

They’re a good source of protein and healthy fats like Omega-3. They also contain a decent amount of dietary cholesterol but the jury is out on whether that’s actually a bad thing.