Should pregnant women eat tuna?

Diet during pregnancy is extremely important, directly affecting the mother's health and development of the fetus. The question is, should pregnant women eat tuna?

After the first 3 months of pregnancy , pregnant mothers will quickly regain their appetite . Especially, for those who love seafood, tuna is always an attractive dish that attracts the taste buds. So in your opinion, should pregnant women eat tuna? Let aFamilyToday Health answer this question through the following article!

Should pregnant women eat tuna?

It will be safe for pregnant mothers to eat only tuna with a moderate amount. Safe fish can include white tuna (skipjack) or canned tuna and some low in mercury. However, if you are pregnant, overeating will harm the fetus and mother because fish contains dangerous mercury toxins.

In fact, nutritionists or doctors recommend not eating more than 4 cans of canned tuna (about 141g) or, if it's grilled tuna, no more than 2 servings per week. Of course, you need to carefully consider the amount used when eating some other seafood!

Can pregnant women eat all kinds of tuna?

Understand that not all types of tuna are safe for women during pregnancy. Here are some of the tuna species and appropriate amounts. 

♦ Albacore tuna (longfin tuna). This is a premium breed and only this fish has white flesh. People are often canned or packaged for distribution. You can eat up to 2 cans of fish (about 300g) per week

♦ Yellowfin tuna (light tuna). Many people wonder if pregnant women can eat this type of tuna? In essence, this is produced in the form of packaging or canning. This has a stronger flavor than albacore tuna. Pregnant mothers should not eat more than 2–3 servings per week

♦ Tuna ahi. This type is known as bigeye tuna. It is often prepared as a steak or sashimi. They are not canned and are particularly high in mercury. Pregnant women can only eat in very small amounts per week

♦ Bluefin Tuna. Like ahi tuna, it contains a high content of mercury and is ready-made as sashimi. For this fish, you should only eat about 300g per week

Benefits of eating tuna during pregnancy

So you are clear that pregnant women should eat tuna or not. According to experts, the addition of this fish in a moderate amount to the diet will be very good for the fetus because the fish head contains nutrients. Tuna has many benefits such as:

Provides the body with high protein content

Provide minerals, vitamin D, omega 3 fatty acids, thereby promoting fetal development

Omega 3 supports the development of the child's brain, eyes and nerves

Although this is not the ideal food during pregnancy, if we consume the right amount it will bring more benefits for mothers.

Is it safe to use canned tuna?

Canned tuna can pose a number of health risks when consumed on a regular basis, such as:

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a substance found in metal canister liners. When we consume canned tuna, BPA compounds have the opportunity to enter the body, thereby affecting the brain development of the fetus.

Canned tuna high in salt increases sodium levels in the body, leading to an increased risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy.

However, canned tuna is low in mercury as they contain only small fish or juveniles.

What are the risks of eating tuna during pregnancy?

In fact, whether pregnant women eat tuna or not, depends largely on the serving size. If consumed in excess of the allowed amount, it is very dangerous to pregnancy whether it is canned fish or fresh fish.

Consuming too much tuna can increase the level of mercury in the mother's body, destroying the developing brain and nervous system of the fetus.

Absorbed mercury also damages the heart

Exposure to mercury causes fetal growth retardation , impaired immune function and other physical malformations

Tuna also contains environmental pollutants, including dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which accumulate in the mother's body and affect fetal development.

Pregnant women can eat raw tuna or not?

When pregnant, mothers can enjoy delicious fresh tuna sushi without affecting their health if they only eat one to two times per month. Make sure it's a low-mercury tuna!

In general, fish such as swordfish, ocean mackerel, squarehead fish and shark should not be consumed during pregnancy because they have higher mercury content. However, tuna has a lower mercury content so you can enjoy them in moderate amounts.

However, you should opt for fresh tuna instead of canned. It's best to consult your doctor if you have any doubts about your diet!