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A Guide To Eating Fish While Pregnant

2 min read
A Guide To Eating Fish While PregnantA Guide To Eating Fish While Pregnant

Fish is great for pregnant women, but some can be dangerous

Eating fish during pregnancy: is it a good idea or not? Fish is low in saturated fat and high in protein, vitamin D, and other nutrients crucial for your baby’s development, so it makes sense that you should include them in your diet. But why do medical experts recommend practising caution when eating fish?

Fish during pregnancy: the dangers of mercury

A Guide To Eating Fish While Pregnant

Image source: iStock

Plenty of fish carry toxins like mercury, which are harmful to your baby’s nervous system.  Your baby’s cognitive skills, language, motor skills, and vision may be affected, so women who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding need to pay attention to the kind of fish they’re consuming.

Should you eat fish while pregnant?

The short answer is yes. Aside from the benefits listed above, fish is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA that are difficult to find in other foods, and are vital for your baby’s health.

In case you’re not yet convinced, studies have shown that eating fish while pregnant really does make a difference in your child’s development. One Danish study found that children whose mothers ate more fish during pregnancy (around 14 ounces a week) had better motor and cognitive skills at 6 and 18 months than those whose mothers ate less fish.

The best fish to eat

A Guide To Eating Fish While Pregnant

Image source: iStock

Pregnant and nursing mothers (as well as young children) should opt for fish with low mercury levels, like:

  • herring
  • mackerel (Atlantic, jack, chub)
  • rainbow trout
  • salmon
  • sardines
  • whitefish
 

Fish to avoid

These fish have high mercury levels and are best avoided altogether.

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  • swordfish
  • shark
  • king mackerel
  • tilefish
  • tuna

For more information, consult this printable wallet card from Purdue University.

And when in doubt, always look up the mercury levels of the fish before consuming.

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Cristina Morales

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