Is Consuming Fish Safe for Pregnant Women? What are the benefits and risks?

Pregnancy makes women jitter even about regular food, understandably so. Now that you are sharing your food with the baby, you will have to be extra careful about your food habits as it directly affects the baby’s health. Even some of the healthiest foods which are consumed without any hesitation normally, have to be double checked. And Seafood falls under this category. So, is consuming fish safe for pregnant women? Yes but only if you take necessary precautions. Fish being a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids and lean protein, it is one of the critical components for the optimal development of your child. But not all types of fish are safe for you too. So, the key here is choosing the right fish for consumption. But the problem with fish as a food is it harbors Mercury, a heavy metal that is dangerous for the development of the baby’s brain, sensory and motor skills development. A lot of industries drain their toxic mercury wastage into the seas and oceans. The mercury is converted into methyl-mercury by the bacteria in the water. And when the fish consume these bacteria, the mercury enters the fish and stay in their body binding at the cellular level. These Mercury contents are generally found in the cells of predators at the top of the food chain. The bad thing about the mercury content is that it cannot be eliminated through cooki →