While some fish can be great for your heart health, some are rich in mercury. Some fishes have DHA, which makes it ideal for your baby in the womb while some have toxic PCBs in it. Hence it is important for you to know which fish to consume and which ones to avoid.
The FDA or Food and Drug Administration agency has stated that a pregnant mother can eat up to 12 ounces of fish each week. This is because it offers numerous benefits such as:
Never avoid the consumption of the fish in your pregnancy diet as it is rich in health benefits for you and the baby. If you are trying to get pregnant or already pregnant, you can consume the following types of fish in the amount mentioned below:
You must control the amount of tuna fish while you are pregnant as it contains mercury in it. Make sure you have just two tuna steaks (140 g after cooking) in a week. Fresh is always preferred over the can variety.
Pregnant women must eat oily fish in moderate amounts as it might contain several pollutants like PCBs and dioxins. Eat only two portions of these fish per week, but eat them without fail. Include oily fish variants like herring, sardines, salmon, trout, pilchards and mackerel in your diet.
The following fish types are good for pregnant women, but due to the fact they may have swum through tainted waters, you must eat only two portions or less of them in a week.
Some of you might be wondering whether it is safe to consume shellfish like oyster or even crab during your pregnancy. It is highly recommended you avoid raw shellfish at this time, as it would have contamination of virus, bacteria or other toxins, which is not safe for your baby.
However, eating cooked shellfish is advisable, as the contaminants would be killed when the shellfish is cooked thoroughly. However, you can avoid it altogether if you are not sure about consuming it. You must also avoid the following varieties of shellfish as it can trigger food poisoning risks. They are:
You should practice discretion and good sense while opting to eat seafood during pregnancy. Whichever fish you eat, make sure it is cleaned and cooked thoroughly to avoid digestive issues or other, more serious, complications to you or your baby. Have a safe pregnancy!
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Article written by Dhivya
