We told you a while back that the FDA and EPA introduced a minimum amount of fish that pregnant women should be eating each week: 8-12 ounces. Fish pack a healthy punch, offering plenty of protein that’s important for your growing baby. But eating too much high-mercury seafood can damage the brain and nervous system, and fetuses are especially at risk. So Consumer Reports is siding against the FDA, urging pregnant women to avoid all tuna, even the light canned tuna that the FDA and EPA deemed okay.
“Consumer Reports disagrees with the recommendations from the FDA and EPA on how much tuna women and children may eat. (We don’t think pregnant women should eat any.) We also believe the agencies do not do enough to guide consumers to the best low-mercury seafood choices,” said the report, offering a chart with advice about good low-mercury choices.
There are two important things to consider. First, how much mercury you can consume varies with how much you weigh. Second, nearly all seafood does contain some amount of mercury, and Consumer Reports identified 20 varieties that are still safe for pregnant women and young children to eat several times per week.
What kinds of seafood have you eaten while pregnant?
