The Do’s and The Don’ts to Eating Seafood When Expecting
1-Eating Seafood is a great way to improve the health of a mother and her infant! Most women do not realize the benefits that seafood offers for both them and their babies. Seafood, especially the Omega 3 oils in seafood improves the baby’s motor skills, IQ, brain development, communication skills and social behavior.
2-The Only Fish to avoid when pregnant are those with the potential of higher mercury content. Otherwise, eating seafood low in mercury has been proven to be beneficial to both the mother and baby and is recommended as a staple of any mother’s diet.
3-The F.D.A recommends that pregnant women eat twelve ounces of seafood a week two meals. However, medical studies are now showing that people in general and pregnant women in particular should be eating more seafood than what is recommended. Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents & Children ALSPAC STUDY. This directly contradicts a common notion that eating seafood during a pregnancy is dangerous. While seafood contains minute amounts of mercury, some species like shark, swordfish, snapper, and mackerel. Contain a bit more and should be avoided during pregnancy.
4-However, studies (FDA study) have shown that eating seafood low in mercury has been proven to be beneficial to both the mother and baby and is recommended as a staple of any mother’s diet. Source: U.S. FDA
Seafood Do’s and Don’ts for Expecting and Nursing Moms:
1-Don’t eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish. The reason is they contain high levels of mercury and as we have learned that’s not good.
2-Do eat up to 12 ounces 2 to 3 meals of other purchased fish and shellfish a week. Five of the most popular eaten fish that are very low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.
3-Do make sure you mix up the types of fish and shellfish you eat. 4-Don’t eat the same type of fish or shellfish more than once a week.
5-Do check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local rivers and streams. If no advice is available, you can safely eat up to 6 ounces (one meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, or buy from Oregon Seafood. Try not to consume other fish during that week.
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