The beneficial effects of fish consumption in pregnant women and children are well recognized. However, it has been described that the intake of methylmercury (MeHg) in pregnancy, mainly through contaminated fish and shellfish, can produce detrimental effects on the development of the nervous system in the fetus and newborn.
In the aquatic mercury cycle, once this toxic element has been deposited in river or sea water, it is transformed into methylmercury (MeHg) by the action of certain sulfate-reducing bacteria and bioaccumulates in aquatic organisms, mainly in fish and shellfish, and is incorporated into the food trophic chain.
Now, if you are pregnant and want to include certain fish in your diet, here are some tips that can be of great help to select the best product that will be of vital importance for you and your baby.
Tip #1 -The main recommendation is to exclude large fish from your diet.
Fish is an important source of nutrients such as, among others, fatty acids, omega-3, long-chain fatty acids, high quality protein, selenium (Se) and vitamin D. However, the main source of exposure to methylmercury is the consumption of wild fish - not farmed fish - and contaminated shellfish. The fish with the highest mercury content are large predatory fish, which eat smaller fish contaminated with mercury, such as: Emperor - Swordfish - Shark - Tuna, among others.
Other fish that also contain methylmercury although in smaller quantities are: bonito, eel, ray, ray, sailfish, sailfish, banded fish, sea bream, shark, among others.
Tip #2 - During pregnancy we recommend eating small fish.
During pregnancy you can eat without any problem, such as cod, sardines, anchovies, salmon, squid and shellfish.
In general, small fish are ideal. It should also be taken into account that selenium prevents methylmercury from exerting its biological function, so fish that have a lot of selenium such as tuna may be less toxic in the end than those less rich in selenium. Also keep in mind that fruit, vegetables, fiber-rich foods and garlic decrease the absorption of mercury in the intestine.
Tip #3 - We thought of you and have selected some of our products that are safe for your consumption.
At Pescatore SeaFood we have available some products that are safe to be consumed in case you are pregnant because their mercury content is very low. In this sense we recommend you:
Very low in mercury: Pollock, Salmon, Shrimp
Low in mercury: Scallops and Squid.
The best thing is that our products come packaged, clean and practically ready to cook.
We are PescatoreSeaFood on your table for a lifetime.
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