Mercury Levels in Fish
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be consumed weekly. "Highest" mercury ry thermometer to calculate your totals. fish should be avoided and "high" mercury fish should be kept to only three 6-oz serv- Highest Mercury ings per month. AVOID Eating • Marlin What does • Orange roughy this mean for • Tilefish women who • Swordfish are pregnant • Shark but also trying • Mackerel (king) to get some • Tuna ( bigeye, Ahi) Mercury Levels in Fish of their much needed nu- We know fish can be very nutritious and trients from High Mercury are packed with great nutrients, such as the critters of Eat no more than three 6-oz servings per omega-3’s, the B vitamins and lean protein. the sea? It is all about moderation. Recent month But unfortunately, fish can also have some information released in the American Jour- • Sea Bass (Chilean) unhealthy contaminants. nal of Preventive Medicine says that no one • Bluefish should cut fish out of their diet altogether. • Grouper Fish contains too many healthy nutrients • Mackeral ( Spanish, Gulf) which are essential for growth and devel- • Tuna (canned, white albacore) See opment, especially in a pregnant mom and tuna chart below baby. There are 4 types of fish that should • Tuna ( Yellowfin) be on the list to avoid due to mercury levels. These include shark, king mackerel, Lower Mercury swordfish and tilefish. Eat no more than six 6-oz servings per month For information regarding other types of • Bass ( Striped, Black) Mercury is a contaminant found in fish fish, the Natural Resources Defense Council • Carp which can affect brain development and (NRDC) has released a list of fish and their • Cod ( Alaskan) the nervous system. The FDA has released mercury levels so people can be informed • Croaker ( White Pacific) guidelines for children, women who are on what they are consuming. If you want to • Halibut ( Pacific and Atlantic) Jacks pregnant and women who are trying to get more detailed information about mer- melt (Silverside) become pregnant. These guidelines state no cury levels and how much you personally • Lobster more than 12 oz of low mercury fish should are consuming, you can also use the mercu- • Mahi Mahi This information is for educational purposes only and is not meant for diagnosis or treatment. Use of this information should be done in accordance with the health care plan out- lined by your health care provider. For specific medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment, consult your doctor. All content is copyrighted by the American Pregnancy Association. • Monkfish • Trout (freshwater) • Perch (freshwater) • Whitefish • Sablefish • Whiting • Skate • Snapper Chart obtained from the Natural Resource • Sea Trout ( Weakfish) Defense Council (NRDC); data obtained by • Tuna (canned, chunk light) the FDA and the EPA. • Tuna (Skipjack) Tuna mercury levels can be different Lowest Mercury based on the type of tuna and where it was Enjoy two 6-oz servings per week caught. The NRDC created the chart be- • Anchovies low as a guideline for how much tuna can • Butterfish be eaten by children, pregnant women or For more information, visit • Catfish women wanting to conceive, based on their American Pregnancy.org • Clam weight. • Crab (Domestic) • Crawfish/crayfish Weight in Pounds Frequency • Croaker White Albacore Chunk Light • Flounder 20lbs 1 can/10 wks 1 can/3 wks • Haddock 30lbs 1 can/6 wks 1 can/2 wks • Hake 40lbs 1 can/5 weeks 1 can/11 days • Herring 50lbs 1 can/4 weeks 1 can/9 days • Mackeral (N Atlantic, Chub) 60lbs 1 can/3 weeks 1 can/7 days • Mullet 70lbs 1 can/3 weeks 1 can/6 days • Oysters 80lbs 1 can/2 weeks 1 can/ 6 days • Perch (ocean) 90lbs 1 can/2 weeks 1 can/5 days • Plaice 100lbs 1 can/2 weeks 1 can/5 days • Salmon ( Canned, Fresh) 110lbs 1 can/12 days 1 can/4 days • Sardines 120lbs 1 can/11 days 1 can/4 days • Scallops 130lbs 1 can/10 days 1 can/4 days • Shad ( American) 140lbs 1 can/10 days 1 can/3 days • Shrimp 150lbs 1 can/9 day 1 can/3 days • Sole • Squid ( Calamari) • Tilapia This information is for educational purposes only and is not meant for diagnosis or treatment. Use of this information should be done in accordance with the health care plan out- lined by your health care provider. For specific medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment, consult your doctor. All content is copyrighted by the American Pregnancy Association..