What types of fish are safe and most beneficial to eat during pregnancy? - Heather, AZ

Dear Heather,

Fish is a great food because it contains important nutrients that you need for a healthy pregnancy, like protein and the omega 3 fatty acid DHA, which is important for normal fetal neural development.  However, fish also brings with it the potential for contamination with methylmercury, which can interfere with normal fetal nervous system development.    There are also certain preparations of fish that are unsafe to eat because they may carry pathogens that can harm you or the baby such as toxoplasmosis and Listeria monocytogenes.  That might sound like a whole lot of reasons to avoid fish altogether, but if you choose your fish wisely, you can avoid the ill effects of methylmercury and bacteria AND get the benefits of the omega 3 fats. 

To minimize potential contact with dangerous pathogens, avoid eating any raw or undercooked fish (i.e. sushi, carpaccio, tartare, etc.), as well as fish that has been smoked or cooked and then packaged (often labeled as “lox”, “nova style”, “kippered”) unless it is used in a freshly cooked dish like a casserole. 

Here’s the scoop on avoiding fish with mercury contamination:  According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration), pregnant women can safely eat up to 12 ounces of lower mercury fish each week.  When choosing the lowest mercury fish, a great resource to use is the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) fish list.  EcoFish, a frozen and canned fish company, tests their products for contaminants (including mercury) and labels each product with how many times each month it’s safe to eat them.  Here are the basics from the EWG’s list:

Avoid: Shark, Swordfish, King mackerel, Tilefish, Tuna steaks, Canned tuna, Sea bass, Gulf Coast Oysters, Marlin, Halibut, Pike, Walleye, White croaker, Largemouth bass

Eat up to 12 ounces per week (Low mercury choices)  Blue crab (mid-Atlantic), Croaker, Fish Sticks, Flounder (summer), Haddock, Trout (farmed), Salmon (wild Pacific), Shrimp.  Note: Shrimp and wild salmon are two of the best sources of DHA, so these are extra good choices! 

If you don’t like fish or have a difficult time getting  your 12 ounces per week,  the benefits of DHA can also be obtained through fish oil supplements (buy a purified one, like Nordic Naturals brand) or a kelp supplement if you don’t eat fish.