Can You Eat Anchovies While Pregnant?

Anchovies are one of the safest fish to eat, and you can consume them on a regular basis. The foods you eat during pregnancy help your unborn baby grow and develop properly, but it can be difficult to determine which foods are healthy and which are not. Because many species of fish are unsafe to eat while pregnant due to mercury pollution, they can be a challenging menu item.

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Concerns about Mercury

Mercury exposure is a risk while eating fish during pregnancy. Mercury is present in many types of fish, which can have a harmful impact on your baby’s brain and nervous system development. Fish that contain the highest mercury levels are swordfish, shark, tilefish, and should be ignored. Sea bass, grouper, and tuna should not be consumed in excess of 18 ounces per month. Mercury levels are significantly lower in bass, cod, and mahimahi, which you can eat up to 36 ounces each month. With mercury levels of less than 0.09 parts per million, anchovies, catfish, haddock, flounder, perch, tilapia, and freshwater trout are the safest options. 

Anchovies’ Nutrients

Anchovies are a good source of critical nutrients for your unborn child’s development. 8 Grams of protein are found in a 1-ounce serving of canned anchovies, food that helps your infant thrive. You get 1.3 milligrams of iron from the same serving of anchovies. Throughout your pregnancy, you’ll need iron to support your expanding blood volume and avoid exhaustion and anemia. Anchovies include 66 milligrams of calcium per serving, which your unborn baby requires for good bone and teeth development.

Recommendations

Eat up to 12 ounces of anchovies per week to reap the many health advantages they provide without exposing yourself to dangerous levels of mercury. This is also the highest limit of acceptable fish consumption, so limit you to 12 ounces of anchovy per week. Anchovies can be tossed into a green salad or chopped and added to a bowl of soup or a pasta dish. Sauteed anchovies go well with steamed veggies or mashed potatoes.

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