The short answer: yes. The longer answer: Not only can women eat a variety of seafood—including canned light and white tuna—during pregnancy, but they absolutely should be eating tuna during pregnancy. Missing out on seafood during pregnancy could mean missing out on important nutrients, like omega-3s.
How much tuna can a pregnant woman eat?
The amount of tuna considered safe during pregnancy varies by country. In the United States, women are advised to eat no more than 12 ounces (340 grams) of canned light tuna or less than 4 ounces (112 grams) of yellowfin or albacore tuna per week.
Is one can of tuna OK during pregnancy?
Yes. Canned light tuna is in the “Best Choices” category and it is fine to eat 2 to 3 servings per week. We recommend that you eat a variety of fish.
What happens if you eat too much mercury while pregnant?
If you come in contact with high levels of mercury during pregnancy, it can cause real problems for you and your baby. Mercury can damage many parts of your body, including your lungs, kidneys and nervous system (that includes the brain, spinal cord and nerves). It also can cause hearing and vision problems.
Can I eat 2 cans of tuna a day?
Though tuna is very nutritious, it’s also high in mercury compared to most other fish. Therefore, it should be eaten in moderation — not every day. You can eat skipjack and light canned tuna alongside other low-mercury fish a few times each week, but should limit or avoid albacore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna.
What can you not eat if your pregnant?
Foods to avoid when pregnant
- Some types of cheese. Don’t eat mould-ripened soft cheese, such as brie, camembert and chevre (a type of goat’s cheese) and others with a similar rind.
- Pâté
- Raw or partially cooked eggs.
- Raw or undercooked meat.
- Liver products.
- Supplements containing vitamin A.
- Some types of fish.
- Raw shellfish.
How much mercury is toxic to fetus?
Using data collected after the Iraqi disaster, Clarkson and colleagues defined threshold toxicologic levels associated with severe adverse effects to the fetus as low as 10 μg/g in maternal hair.
How many babies are affected by mercury?
The agency doubled its estimate, equivalent to 630,000 of the 4 million babies born each year, because recent research has shown that mercury tends to concentrate in the blood in the umbilical cord of pregnant women.
Can eating tuna while pregnant cause autism?
Eating fish while you’re pregnant does not increase the chance that your child will be autistic or have autistic traits, our latest study shows. In fact, our study suggests that fish may be beneficial for the development of a healthy nervous system.
Why you shouldn’t eat canned tuna?
Mercury Poisoning
“All fish have some level of mercury, but that level varies widely; canned tuna has relatively high levels of mercury so its consumption could potentially become harmful above three or so servings a week,” says Andrea Paul, MD, medical advisor to Illuminate Labs.
How much mercury is in a can of tuna?
Pick your tuna. *An average 5-ounce serving (1 can) of light tuna contains 18.11 micrograms of mercury. *An average 5-ounce serving (1 can) of albacore tuna contains 49.53 micrograms of mercury. *An average 5-ounce serving of tuna steak or tuna sushi could contain up to 97.49 micrograms.
How often is it safe to eat canned tuna?
Canned white, or albacore (0.32 parts per million of mercury). Children under six can eat up to one 3-ounce portion a month; children from 6-12, two 4.5-ounce portions a month. Adults, including pregnant women, can safely eat this kind of tuna up to three times a month (women, 6-ounce portions; men, 8-ounce portions).
What are pregnancy super foods?
Top superfoods for pregnancy:
- Spinach.
- Watercress.
- Kale.
- Broccoli.
- Bok choy.
- Seaweed – limit your intake to one portion per week to avoid getting too much iodine.
What fruits should pregnant avoid?
List of Fruits to Avoid During Pregnancy
- Pineapple. Pineapple ranks high on the list of fruits to avoid in the first trimester of pregnancy.
- Tamarind.
- Papayas.
- Bananas.
- Watermelon.
- Dates.
- Frozen Berries.
- Canned Tomatoes.
Which fruit is best in first trimester?
7 nutritious fruits you should eat during pregnancy
- Oranges. Oranges help you stay hydrated.
- Mangoes. Mangoes are another great source of vitamin C.
- Avocados. Avocados have more folate than other fruits.
- Lemons.
- Bananas.
- Berries.
- Apples.
What does mercury do to your baby?
Mercury’s harmful effects that may be passed from the mother to her baby include brain damage, mental retardation, blindness, seizures, muteness, and lack of coordination. Children poisoned by mercury exposure after birth may develop problems of their nervous and digestive systems, and suffer kidney damage.
What fish can’t you eat while pregnant?
During pregnancy, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) encourages you to avoid:
- Bigeye tuna.
- King mackerel.
- Marlin.
- Orange roughy.
- Swordfish.
- Shark.
- Tilefish.
How long does mercury stay in the body?
Mercury does not stay in the body forever. It takes about six months to a year to leave the bloodstream once exposure stops. Some researchers think mercury can permanently damage the nervous system in children.
Who is most vulnerable to mercury poisoning?
Children Under 14 Are Most Sensitive To Mercury
The developing brains and nervous systems of children are very sensitive to mercury and may be irreversibly damaged by it. Children can be exposed to methylmercury by eating certain types of fish or if their mothers ate mercury-contaminated fish before their birth.
What fish has the most mercury?
Overall, larger and longer-lived fish tend to contain the most mercury ( 4 ). These include shark, swordfish, fresh tuna, marlin, king mackerel, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico, and northern pike ( 5 ). Larger fish tend to eat many smaller fish, which contain small amounts of mercury.
How do you get high mercury levels?
Elevated mercury in blood usually indicates exposure to organic mercury (such as from eating fish containing methylmercury) or recent exposure to a high level of elemental mercury vapor. For most people, an elevated blood mercury level is associated with eating fish and other seafood containing organic mercury.
Elvira Bowen is a food expert who has dedicated her life to understanding the science of cooking. She has worked in some of the world’s most prestigious kitchens, and has published several cookbooks that have become bestsellers. Elvira is known for her creative approach to cuisine, and her passion for teaching others about the culinary arts.