Pregnant women who eat fish regularly should count thenselves lucky. Their fish intake does not only contribute to their good health but their children’ brain development as well.
A research conducted by Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, on 341 children aged three years found out that children whose mothers ate more than two servings of fish per week during pregnancy performed better on tests of verbal and visual development. The study, published in American Journal of Epidemiology, reported that, however, mothers who ate fish with high mercury levels scored low in the test.
Pregnant women are advised to avoid fatty fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and titlefish, which are more likely to be contaminated with mercury, a metal that is toxic to brain cells, particularly in foetuses and young children. Oily fish like tuna, sardine and salmon are recommended because they contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are important in foetal and child brain development.
Emily Oken, leader of the research group, said that eating fish lower in mercury content could allow for stronger mental development.” Recommendations for consumption during pregnancy should take into account the nutritional benefits of fish as well as the potential harms from mercury exposure,” She said.
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