There are plenty of fish in the sea, but pregnant women need to make sure they eat the right ones.
The Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed guidelines suggest that moms-to-be and women who are nursing eat between 8 and 12 ounces (about two to three servings) of low-mercury seafood a week.
Light canned tuna is listed under “lower in mercury,” but Consumer Reports is now warning that pregnant women skip that fish altogether.
“Consumer Reports disagrees with the recommendations from the FDA and EPA on how much tuna women and children may eat,” the group said in a report. “We don’t think pregnant women should eat any.”
Food policy initiatives director Jean Halloran said Consumer Reports is “particularly concerned about canned tuna, which is second only to shrimp as the most commonly eaten seafood in the U.S.”
Eating fish, including shellfish, has been found to have a number of health benefits because it is packed with protein and nutrients but low in saturated fat, the FDA and EPA said.
“The nutritional value of fish is especially important during growth and development before birth, in early infancy for breastfed infants, and in childhood,” the proposed guidelines read.
Consumer Reports analyzed the FDA data and picked out 20 fish “that can be eaten several times per week, even by pregnant women and young children, without worrying about mercury exposure.”
Almost all seafood contains traces of mercury, and too much can harm the brain and nervous systems. However, the agencies stress that fear of mercury is not a reason to completely cut out fish.
“Avoiding fish during pregnancy in favor of omega-3 supplements means that you would be missing out on many other important nutrients contained in fish that are required for overall health,” the guidelines read.
Both factions agree that pregnant women should stick to salmon, shrimp and tilapia, which are among the fish with the lowest levels of mercury. Other good choices include pollock, catfish and flounder.
Expecting women are advised across the board to stay away from all raw fish and to avoid swordfish, shark and king mackerel.
