This is fishy! How much is enough and how much is too much?
Fish is a super healthy food that contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients for all members of the population, not just pregnant and breastfeeding women. As there is so much information out there with regards to which fish are safe to eat, which fish are unsafe to eat and how much you can eat of certain types of fish, we’ve put together a quick guide which should clear up some of the confusion.
Benefits of Omega-3s
Omega-3 fatty acids are an essential nutrient that we must take in through our diet or through supplementation, because our bodies cannot synthesize omega-3s and so we need to find them from elsewhere. Certain types of fish, fish oil and fish oil supplements are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega-3s are incredibly beneficial to the development of your baby, both in utero and following the birth of your child. They will aid the development of your baby’s brain, central nervous system, eyes, and pretty much every single system within your baby’s body. Omega-3 fatty acids will also help to support your baby’s immune system – and recent research suggests that consumption of fatty acids throughout pregnancy will mean that your baby has less chance of developing asthma, eczema and allergies.
Sources of Omega-3s
All fish contains a small amount of omega-3 fatty acid, but the fish that are the best sources of omega-3s are oily fish from colder climates, such as mackerel, tuna, salmon, herring, sardines, trout, whitefish and anchovies. However, fish is not the only source of omega-3 fatty acids – you can also take in omega-3s by consuming spinach, wheat germ, walnuts, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, soy beans, soy bean oil and canola oil.
Fish to Avoid
Whilst fish is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, some fish should be avoided whilst you are pregnant and whilst you are breastfeeding. You should also avoid giving the fish mentioned below to your young baby. Fish to avoid is fish that contains high levels of mercury, which is potentially harmful to your baby whilst you are pregnant or breastfeeding even in relatively small doses. Your baby is very vulnerable to mercury, and in large quantities, it can actually affect the development of your baby’s nervous system, which can lead to developmental delay throughout your baby’s life. Mercury can also affect the way your baby’s brain works, causing your little one’s memory, concentration and language skills to be negatively impacted.
Fish containing high levels of mercury includes: gemfish, orange roughy, ling, southern Bluefin tuna, shark, ray, swordfish and barramundi. Salmon and other types of tuna also contain mercury, but in smaller quantities.
So How Much Fish Can I Eat?
Current food recommendations state that it is safe to consume 2-3 servings of fish or any other seafood per week. A serving is classed as 150g. However, due to mercury in certain types of fish, there are exceptions to this recommendation, as stated below:
· 1 x 150g serving per fortnight of shake (flake), broadbill, swordfish or marlin + no other fish that fortnight
· 1 x 150g serving per week of orange roughy or catfish + no other fish that week
When eating out in places such as fish and chip shops or a restaurant, if the fish on the menu is described as “fish” or “white fish”, double check before ordering to make sure that it isn’t a fish that you need to restrict your consumption of.
Fish Oil Capsules
If you’re not a big fan of fish or if you find that you have an aversion to fish during pregnancy, you may want to supplement your intake of omega-3 fatty acids by taking fish oil capsules. Fish oils are safe for you to consume during pregnancy, breastfeeding and beyond, provided that you take the recommended dosage on the bottle. If you are unsure on dosage, speak to your doctor or midwife for more information.
This article was written by Mandy dos Santos. She is a nutrition and health writer for the Lose Baby Weight and The Healthy Mummy website. She has a BSc. Food Science and Nutrition (UNSW), Grad Cert in Human Nutrition (Deakin). You can get daily health & weight loss tips at the Lose Baby Weight Facebook page with over 25,000 other mums.
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