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12/23/2024 09:29:02 am

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Consumer Reports: Pregnant Women Should Avoid "All Tuna"

Pregnant Woman

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A new study published by Consumer Reports states that pregnant women should avoid all kinds of tuna, especially those that come canned.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) deemed canned tuna safe for pregnant women due to its low-mercury content.

Mercury can cause brain and nervous system damage to the fetus.

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Consumer Reports, however, believe there are better fish options out there aside from tuna. These options include including salmon, shrimp and tilapia.

In a recently proposed FDA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) dietary guideline, the two groups encouraged pregnant women; women planning to get pregnant and women who are nursing to consume around eight to 12 ounces of low-mercury seafood a week.

The group listed light canned tuna as one of their recommended fish for a low-mercury seafood diet.

Consumer Reports disagrees with their findings and believes women should skip tuna altogether.

"We're particularly concerned about canned tuna, which is second only to shrimp as the most commonly eaten seafood in the United States," said Jean Halloran, director of food policy initiatives for Consumers Union.

Consumers Union is the advocacy branch of Consumer Reports.

Halloran said although some species of tuna are low in mercury, others are not. She cited albacore and yellowfin as very high in mercury.

Therefore, Halloran said it's better to be safe than sorry and avoid tuna altogether when you're pregnant.

On the other hand, Consumer Reports does agree with the FDA that fish should also be included in a pregnant woman's diet due to the nutritional benefits they get from the food source.

Fish is full of protein and omega-3 and low in saturated fat.

Among other fish to avoid while pregnant are all raw fish, swordfish, shark and king mackerel.

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