Pacific Mackerel Fish for Pregnant Women

Pacific mackerel fish deliver a rich nutrition for both men and women since it provides protein, minerals, vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids, carbohydrate, and low in calories plus fats. It is true that at least we need to eat fish one or two times per week in moderate amount to get nutrient body intake to support our body function. Despite many nutrition provided by mackerel fish, however we also need to anticipate about the mercury level in this oily fish. Not all mackerel is good to eat since some of the types have mercury level that higher than the other mackerel thus they need to be avoided.

Fish can be a tricky for women during pregnancy, although it offers useful nutrition for body just like we already mentioned above, certain fish like mackerel can offer more risks than health benefits. That’s why, when eating mackerel, it is better to skip it especially for pregnant women who is more sensitive or limit your intake to keep both the mother and the infant safe.

Can pregnant women eat Pacific mackerel fish?

Mackerel are a name applied to different type of pelagic fish species. There are mackerel that are safe to be consumed but some are not. Pacific mackerel fish can be found in Pacific Ocean since mackerel are fish which like to swim around temperate or tropical water. Most of mackerel have small size of body and oily texture which make them looks so tasty especially when you cook fresh and raw mackerel, mackerel steak, or mackerel fillets. Canned mackerel products are popular to be eaten as well because they offer easier and simpler cooking preparation.

Mackerel that need to be avoided

Since there are lots of mackerel fish types, you need to know which one is best to be avoided than the other. King Mackerel is one type of fish that brings higher level of mercury amount than any mackerel which mean you need to avoid this type of fish. King Mackerel is considered to be “too much” mercury for safety of your pregnancy and that’s why you should avoid it during your entire pregnancy as well as during your nursing period. Mercury can affect your baby or infant because the substances can build-up your bloodstream which lead to poor nervous and brain development of your infant/ baby. Anyway, if you unsure about the type of canned mackerel fish you have then it is better to just avoid it as much as possible.

Mackerel that safe to be consumed

As for Pacific jack mackerel fish, they are considerate safer than canned tuna because they are a small fish that do not have too much mercury level. Pacific mackerel almost have similar taste to canned sardines but it is canned in the same treatment as tuna and salmon. Pacific mackerel can be used to replace tuna and salmon which are high in mercury and thus it is safer to be consumed for pregnant and nursing women or women in childbearing age. But still, limitation when eating jack mackerel need to be noted.

Aside pacific mackerel fish type or jack mackerel, Spanish and gulf mackerel both are contain high mercury but not so high so you can still eating them with the right amount of limitation. If you want to eat Spanish or gulf mackerel, according to the American Pregnancy Association, you can only eat them less than three servings per month plus not more than six ounces meaning a total of 18 ounces a month. Low mercury mackerel should be limited not more than 12 ounces per week to prevent the risk of excess mercury intake. North Atlantic and chub mackerel are types of low mackerel fish as well.

Safe Pacific mackerel fish preparation

Mercury is not the only thing you need to be concerned when eating fish because undercooked and even raw consumption of fish can ingest bacteria and parasites risks. That’s why for safer preparation, you should cooking all the mackerel fish with temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit and do not eating dips and dishes that contain raw fish. In addition, make sure that your work surfaces are clean to prevent ingestion of bacteria and parasites, so it is not enough to just make sure the Pacific mackerel fish cooked with the proper temperature.