The Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency in America have announced that they are going to make a new recommendation for food to be eaten by pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.  They are going to recommend about three servings of low mercury seafood a week to be eaten by such mothers which would include light canned tuna, salmon, shrimp and cod.  Reports have found that about one in five women in America ate very little fish or none at all and studies have shown that women who consumed fish have children with higher IQ’s and better cognitive development than children born to women who do not.  

They say that the studies are very consistent in this regard in that while there are benefits to fish oil and Omega-3 fatty acids, they do not have the same benefit as actually eating fish.  The FDA is also recommending that young children eat a weekly minimum of two fish servings. Certain fish, which are high in mercury should not be eaten when women are pregnant and that would include sharks and marlin may also be added to the list in future.  

Doctors who have done studies on the benefits have been disappointed by the recommendation, because they don’t think it goes far enough saying that they believe, for it to be effective for child development, you need at least three servings a week.  Fish like salmon can often be an expensive meal, but when you read about the benefits like that, it is one of those meals you can’t afford not to feed your children.  In many respects we have all become used to cheap food to the extent where poisons like alcohol and cigarettes cost more than many foods, but it does not make sense that good food is cheap and there are many other things you can cut out of your budget long before giving up on eating decent quality, fresh and healthy foods.