Can you eat cobia fish when pregnant

So as my wife and I were doing some research in hopes of promoting a solid diet and healthier lifestyle and because she is pregnant right now , here is the list of those saltwater fish species that could do more harm than good to you and your health if eaten out of moderation. Note: This list is backed up by rigid research studies and relevant health advisories published by different public health and human services and some non-profit organizations.

FDA warns children, pregnant women and lactating moms to NOT eat any king mackerel due to their very high mercury content. King mackerel has one of the highest levels of mercury out of all of the popular saltwater fish. Eliminating these fish species in your diet can definitely reduce your chances of getting exposed to the harmful effects of mercury and other existing contaminants.

Whether fresh or canned, Albacore still has mercury levels that are almost three times higher than the smaller skipjack. Sad to say, most canned white tuna is albacore — having 0. Health advocates encourage children as well as pregnant and nursing mothers to only consume three to six-ounce portions of white tuna in a month. Just eat white tuna in moderation or not much at all if you are pregnant. Or you may still opt for chunk light tuna and skipjack tuna as alternatives. Or better yet, go for canned salmon mostly sockeye or pink from Alaska.

Saltwater salmon has low mercury levels but has high omega-3 fatty acids. According to a CNN report , this type of fish has extremely high levels of metal mercury that can eventually cause coordination loss, blindness and even death, depending on the amount or portion ingested. Scientists believed that such increased mercury content was due to the accumulation of certain contaminants in their body as they eat lots of smaller fish.

The cobia is a delicious saltwater fish that sadly can soak up a lot of mercury. Consumer Affairs included in its news report that cobia has 3. Although not as high in mercury as the king mackerel, the Spanish mackerel is certainly up towards the top of the list. According to studies that we found online, the Spanish mackerel from the Gulf of Mexico were much higher in mercury than the Spanish mackerel in the Atlantic.

If you like catching daytime or nighttime swordfish, you might want to be careful how much of it you eat. Because swordfish is up at the very top of the list in terms of mercury content for saltwater fish. Right up there with shark and the tilefish. Bluefish are fun to catch, will hit pretty much anything you drag through the water, and can really rip some line out on light tackle.

Certainly one of the most popular and delicious saltwater fish to eat at restaurants, sadly the grouper is pretty high in mercury levels. See the best ways to cook grouper here. They say jack crevalle can actually be poisonous to eat due to the threat of ciguatera poisoning.

Though ciguatera toxin is said to be harmless to fish, it is known to be really noxious to humans. What makes this toxin difficult to identify is that it may seem odorless and tasteless — leaving you totally clueless. More so, cooking the fish does NOT stamp out the toxins.

You are probably wondering which saltwater species are low in mercury after reading about all of these delicious fish that have high levels of mercury. One thing that most of the articles failed to mention was the role that selenium plays in fish. Selenium is something that breaks down mercury making it not harmful to you , and the majority of fish have more selenium in their meat than they do mercury the exceptions being shark, tilefish, king mackerel, and swordfish.

Think of mercury just like alcohol. Too much at any one time can cause some serious issues… moderation is key. You Rock! This is very helpful for good health and those who love to eat fish. Thank you! Someone gave me a good fish today, which I was afraid to eat, till i read this.

Enlightened New Louisian Angler! Research shows that moms-to-be who eat fish times each week during pregnancy have babies who reach these milestones more quickly:. The following fish should be avoided during pregnancy because they are higher in mercury, which can be harmful at very high levels. Most Americans do not typically eat these fish, and there are many other seafood options you can enjoy. The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid shows examples of delicious and healthy food choices, including seafood.

These extra calories should come from a variety of healthy foods, like the following snack examples:. Sushi is generally safe to eat during pregnancy—but stick with sushi that includes vegetables and cooked seafood. As with cooked fish, pregnant women should avoid sushi that contains shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, bigeye tuna, marlin and orange roughy.

To reduce your risk of getting sick from food during pregnancy, do not eat any raw meats or raw seafood. There are many kinds of cooked sushi. Seafood can be a healthy choice when eating out.

In addition to cooked sushi, look for the following popular and healthy seafood menu items:. They include bluefish, grouper, halibut, mahi mahi, yellowfin tuna and snapper. They include King mackerel, marlin, shark, and swordfish. The FDA said that 90 per cent of the fish eaten in the U. A single serving for an adult is about the size of the palm of your hand, or four ounces before cooking.

Right now, 50 per cent of pregnant women ate fewer than two ounces of fish per week, which is far less than the recommended amount. For the first time in , the FDA offered a recommendation on the minimum intake of seafood pregnant women should aim for. It said that pregnant women, breastfeeding moms and young kids should be eating eight to 12 ounces of a variety of fish each week.

Keep in mind, there are nutritional benefits to eating fish. Many kinds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, protein and vitamin D. Women of childbearing age and pregnant women in particular need advice to reduce their exposure.

Health Canada says that when pregnant, women need more omega-3 fatty acids in their diets to help their babies with brain development. It recommends that expectant moms eat at least five ounces of cooked fish every week. Read more about its recommendations.