You're well aware of the risks of eating albacore and light canned tuna. Recent investigations by the Chicago Tribune prompted Consumer Reports to do their own review, and the results, as expected, were alarming: Pregnant women must stay away from canned tuna completely due to the risk of mercury exposure.
And that's not all, folks. The Consumer Reports piece listed four more species of fish pregnant women must avoid:
- Chilean sea bass
- Halibut
- Spanish mackerel
- American lobster
Although the consumer group was uncertain that a single serving of fish laced with high quantities of mercury could hurt a fetus, they believe "high exposures, even for a day or two, could be too much of a risk."
No surprise, the FDA and their newest partners -- the tuna industry -- questioned the advisory, pointing to their own studies that show no reason why consumers should avoid it. This is good time to remind you, one FDA scientist recently admitted America's current mercury standards reflect the science of the 1970s, and are among the weakest in the world.
You can receive the same nutritional benefits fish provides and rebalance your intake of essential omega-3 fats safely, however, by taking a high quality krill oil daily.
Consumer Reports.org July 2006 Free Full Text Article
USA Today June 6, 2006