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Safely Adding Fish to a Pregnancy Diet Plan

by

Isabel De Los Rios

Pregnant women often avoid eating fish because they are afraid it will affect the health of their unborn babies. This food is far too nutritious to leave out of your

pregnancy diet plan

. The key to safely enjoying fish during pregnancy is to avoid the kinds that contain high mercury levels and to prepare it properly before eating it.

Fish contains protein and omega-3 fatty acids that are essential to the healthy growth of your fetus. Protein is the building block of your baby’s body because it helps with the development of the muscles, fingers, toes, organs, skin, hair and fingernails.

Protein is especially important during the second trimester of pregnancy because this is when your fetus is growing the most. Omega-3 fatty acids are vital to the development of your baby s nervous system, brain and eyes.

Omega-3 can also reduce the risk of preterm labor, cesarean birth and postpartum depression. Over the long term, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can reduce the risk of developmental delays and behavior problems in children.

Avoid Eating Fish With High Levels of Mercury

Eating fish that contain high levels of mercury can affect the development of your baby s brain and nervous system. This element is found naturally in nature and gets released into the air via industrial pollution. When mercury becomes airborne, it accumulates in oceans and streams.

The mercury sinks to the bottom of the water and turns into an organic form known as methylmercury. When marine life feed on other fish, they ingest the methylmercury and it accumulates in their systems. Large predatory fish such as shark, swordfish and king mackerel contain the highest levels of mercury, so pregnant women should avoid eating these fish.

Pregnant mothers should also stay away from grouper, marlin, orange roughy and tilefish because they contain extremely high levels of mercury as well. While seafood that contains the “highest” mercury levels should be avoided altogether, it is recommended that you only eat three 6 oz servings per month of fish that contain “high” levels of mercury.

Some types of fish that contain “high” levels of mercury include sea trout, bluefish, halibut, croaker, fresh bluefin tuna, ahi tuna, canned white albacore tuna and American and Maine lobster.

Safest Fish Choices During Pregnancy

There are several types of fish that you can safely add to your pregnancy diet plan. You can eat six 6 oz servings per month of:

carp

mahi mahi

snow crab

canned, chunk light tuna

cod

fresh Pacific albacore tuna

skate

snapper

herring

monkfish

freshwater perch

You can safely enjoy two 6 oz servings per week of the following types of fish:

butterfish

anchovies

calamari

catfish

wild salmon

tilapia

shrimp

shad

oysters

scallops

flounder

haddock

crawfish

sardines

farmed caviar

ocean perch

Cook Seafood Thoroughly

Raw fish is more likely to contain bacteria and parasites that can affect your developing baby, so don t eat it while you are pregnant. Cook all of your seafood thoroughly. Fish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 F. Fish will easily separate into flakes and turn an opaque color when it is cooked properly.

Cook clams, mussels and other shellfish until the shells pop open. Shrimp will have a milky white color when it is properly cooked.

Fish is so nutritious that your unborn baby will gain insurmountable benefits when you eat it. To safely add fish to your pregnancy diet plan, avoid the kinds with extreme mercury levels and cook it properly before you dig in.

Proper nutrition is the key to a healthy pregnancy. To learn how to create an ideal

pregnancy diet plan

, visit

whattoeatwhilepregnant.com

.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com