Don’t worry about heavy metals or additives when you’re pregnant and eat mackerel.
When you’re pregnant, you eat for two. But contrary to what many believe, it does not mean that you should have twice as many calories; it just means that what you eat is what the fetus eats. The development of the fetus is therefore also greatly affected by the mother’s diet during pregnancy.
Some studies suggest that the so-called n-3 fatty acids from fatty fish can have positive health effects – both for the mother and for the child. For example, the development of the fetus’ brain depends on how much the mother gets from the essential n-3 fatty acid, DHA. This fatty acid is important for brain function, and studies suggest that it affects both learning ability, memory and vision in the fetus. But studies also show that pregnant women have lower levels of DHA in their blood further in their pregnancy, as well as the more times they have given birth. This can be prevented with supplementation of DHA from fish oil or by remembering to regularly eat fish rich in DHA.
Mackerel is the fish that has the highest content of DHA.
While pregnant women are advised not to eat fish containing high levels of heavy metals that negatively affect the fetus’ brain. You do not need to worry about heavy metals when eating mackerel. Saeby Fish Canners Ltd. has even chosen to stop the use of BPA in their cans, as this drug has proven to be hormone disrupting. No heavy metals, no BPA, but lots of health-promoting n-3 fatty acids, making mackerel a healthy choice for pregnant women.
And it’s even quick and easy to get to.
