Whether boiled, fried, or as a cocktail, eating shrimp during pregnancy is a common desire. Can pregnant women eat shrimp?
Thankfully, pregnant women can consume shrimp, because it is typically categorized as a low-mercury seafood, as opposed to high-mercury foods like mackerel, swordfish or shark. In fact, not just is it safe to consume shrimp while pregnant, however it can even supply some extra nutrition and a couple of surprising health advantages.
What are the suggestions for consuming shrimp throughout pregnancy?
As far as consuming shrimp throughout pregnancy, some women prevent it like the pester because they’ve been informed that all seafood is off limits. However while it’s true that you ought to avoid some kinds of seafood during pregnancy, shrimp isn’t on the list.
In reality, according to the Food and Drug Administration, seafood can provide pregnant and breastfeeding ladies with nutrients to help their baby’s growth and advancement. Still, it’s essential to have a clear understanding of which seafoods are safe, and which seafoods to avoid.
Generally, you’ll require to prevent any seafood that’s high in mercury. This is crucial because consuming excessive mercury can harm a growing infant’s worried system. Seafood with high mercury levels consist of:
- swordfish
- shark
- king mackerel
- tilefish
- fresh tuna
- orange roughy
Seafood which contains little mercury, on the other hand, is completely safe to consume during pregnancy. This includes shrimp — however not just shrimp. If your taste buds are screaming for seafood in general, you can switch it up and eat any of the following:
- shrimp
- pollack
- catfish
- salmon
- trout
- canned tuna
- cod
- tilapia
Do not forget that these still include mercury — just not as much. As a general guideline, pregnant females need to eat no greater than 8 to 12 ounces(two or 3 servings) of seafood per week.
Consuming raw or undercooked seafood is not safe, particularly when you are pregnant, as it may put you at the threat of bacterial infections. For this reason you should prevent eating meals like sushi, and sashimi that has raw shrimp.
Shrimp is one of the most safe alternatives for seafood to eat during pregnancy, and the nutrients in shrimp are useful to both the mom and infant. Simply make sure that the shrimp is fully prepared, so you don’t get ill.
