HEALTH BENEFITS
The U.S.D.A. recommends choosing fish more often for lunch or dinner for a healthy diet.
- Low in Fat or Fat Free
- Good Source of Omega 3
- High in Protein
- No Trans Fat
- Contains No Carbohydrates
- Fish and Seafood is a Good Source of HDL Cholesterol
2010 Report: USDA & FDA urge American's to eat more seafood
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, you have at least three chances everyday to boost your baby's health. A diet full of nourishing foods, packed with vitamins and minerals, can go a long way to ensure a bright future for your little one.
Fish is one of the smartest food choices you can make, literally. A type of omega-3 fatty acid found in abundance in seafood, called DHA, is needed for the best possible development of your baby's brain. Need more bang for your bite? Low-fat, high-protein fish is also good for mom's brain, heart and weight.
For more about seafood science, read summaries of the latest studies, visit Perinatal Nutrition Working Group and check out recent media coverage below.
Benefits for Baby
Benefits for Mom
- May help prevent and manage post-partum depression. Low levels of omega-3s are associated with low levels of the brain chemical, serotonin. And low levels of serotonin are linked to depression. Read "Eat Fish, Beat Post-Partum Blues"
- Helps manage optimal weight gain. Choose fish prepared healthfully - for example baked, broiled, grilled, microwaved or steamed.
- Protects heart health. Read "Eat Fish, Your Heart Will Love You"
Types of Fish to Focus On
For Women Who Are or May Become Pregnant, Breast feeding Women, and Young Children
- Eat a variety of 12 ounces, or 2-4 meals, cooked seafood each week. If you like, up to six ounces can be albacore tuna. Avoid Shark, King Mackerel, Tile fish, and Swordfish.
- All fish contain traces of mercury, but these fish - which most American's already don't eat - should be avoided as they tend to have higher levels. Read "What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish"
Additional Resources
A Seafood Lover's Guide to Eating During Pregnancy
For Good Health, Go Fish
Associations of maternal fish intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding duration with attainment of developmental milestones in early childhood: a study from the Danish National Birth Cohort
Authors: Emily Oken, et al.
Harvard Medical School
Journal: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, September 2008
Summary: Researchers followed over 25,000 Danish mother/child pairs to determine the overall effect of maternal fish intake during pregnancy on child development. Mothers were interviewed about how much fish they ate, and then about their children’s developmental milestones like crawling and putting words together. Compared with women who ate the least fish, women with the highest fish intake (2 ounces per day on average) had children 25% more likely to have higher developmental scores at 6 months and almost 30% more likely to have higher scores at 18 months.
Beneficial Effects of a Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid on Infant Development: Evidence from the Inuit of Arctic Quebec
Authors: Joseph L. Jacobson, et al.
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Journal: Journal of Pediatrics, March 2008
Summary: This study looked at over 100 Inuit infants and their mothers in Arctic Quebec to determine effects of a high fish and sea mammal diet. Higher DHA omega-3 concentration is associated with longer gestation, better visual acuity at 6 months, and better mental and motor skills at 11 months.
Essential n-3 Fatty Acids in Pregnant Women and Early Visual Acuity Maturation in Term Infants
Authors: Sheila M. Innis, et al.
Child and Family Research Institute, Canada
Journal: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 2008
Summary: Researchers studied 135 women and their babies in a double blind prospective study to determine whether DHA omega-3 status is so low among some pregnant women to pose a risk to their babies' development. The researchers found that the women who eat lots of meat and little fish are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and their babies do not do as well on eye tests as babies from mothers who are not deficient.
Maternal Seafood Consumption in Pregnancy and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Childhood
Authors: Joseph R. Hibbeln, et al.
U.S. National Institutes of Health
Journal: The Lancet, February 2007
Summary: Researchers followed nearly 12,000 mother/child pairs enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) to assess the impact of factors such as diet and lifestyle on health and growth during pregnancy. Mothers who eat the most seafood during pregnancy -- more than 12 ounces per week -- have children with the highest developmental outcomes. Researchers conclude advice to limit seafood consumption could be detrimental to optimal fetal development.
Seafood Choices: Balancing Risks and Benefits
Authors: Institute of Medicine Committee on Nutrient Relationships in Seafood Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
Journal: IOM Report, October 2006
Summary: A comprehensive investigation weighing the benefits and risks of seafood consumption, this IOM report was established to assist federal agencies in guiding consumers in the decision making process. Conclusions of the report recommend that adults consume seafood as part of a healthy diet. The report notes pregnant women and women who may become pregnant are encouraged to include seafood in their diets in accordance with the already established federal recommendations.
Heart Disease
An oily fish diet increases insulin sensitivity compared to a red meat diet in young iron-deficient women
Authors: Santiago Navas-Carretero, et al.
Spanish National Research Council
Journal: British Journal of Nutrition, August 2009
Summary: Researchers followed 25 young iron-deficient women to compare how two diets – one rich in oily fish, the other rich in red meat – affect several how two diets – one rich in oily fish, the other rich in red meat – affect several factors linked to type 2 diabetes. Insulin levels were nearly 20 percent lower with the oily fish diet than with the red meat diet. High insulin levels are often related to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Iron status was similar in both groups, suggesting oily fish is a source of iron that may have additional insulin sensitivity benefits.
Fish Consumption among Healthy Adults is Associated with Decreased Levels of Inflammatory Markers Related to Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Antonis Zampelas, et al.
Harikopio University, Athens, Greece
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology, July 2005
Summary: This Greek study of more than 2,000 men and women shows participants who eat fish regularly have lower levels of heart disease markers.
Mercury, Fish Oils, and the Risk of Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Eliseo Guallar, et al.
Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine, November 2002
Summary: This study explored the suggested relationship between mercury and risk of heart disease. The mercury and long-chain omega-3 levels of over 680 men with a first diagnosis of heart attack were measured and compared to a control group. Results show a decrease in heart attack risk with an increase in DHA omega-3 fatty acid level, while high mercury content may lessen the cardioprotective effect of fish intake.
Eye Disease
Eating fish weekly may lower risk of age-related eye disease
The Impact of Fish and Shellfish Consumption on Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Bonnielin K. Swenor, MPH
Johns Hopkins University
Journal: Ophthalmology, the official journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, July 2010
Summary: This study explored the suggested relationship between fish intake and risk of serious vision loss from age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The study shows that people who consume fish regularly tend to have lower rates of AMD versus people who less frequently eat fish.
