Is It Safe To Eat Calamari During Pregnancy?

As a pregnant woman, your body goes through many changes, both physical and hormonal. In addition to mood changes, hormonal changes can affect your appetite as well. People who are pregnant sometimes get sick just thinking about eating certain foods. Some people, however, crave certain foods intensely. In this article on kidsrush.com, we will tell you is it safe to eat calamari during pregnancy? Stay with us!

Would you need some fried calamari (squid) with a squeeze of lemon and marinara sauce if suddenly you just crave them? Do you agree?

Many people have heard that omega-3s, for instance, are beneficial to pregnant women. Do you think it’s okay to eat calamari during pregnancy? Here’s a quick look at the answer – let’s see what we can do.

Mercury: what’s the deal?

The nutrients found in calamari and other seafood are beneficial for pregnant women.

Mercury in seafood is a concern for many people, especially during pregnancy. Even pregnant women can be deterred from eating fish because they fear mercury.

In the environment, mercury occurs naturally. We breathe it in, drink it in, and eat it in. Humans can be toxic, however, when exposed to high levels of chromium. The poisoning can affect the heart, lungs, brain, kidney, and liver, among other organs.

Fish with a high mercury content are more likely to be caught. When pregnant women consume polluted shellfish or grains that are contaminated with mercury, mercury can negatively affect the development of the fetus and could cause cognitive impairment or even cerebral palsy.

There is however some evidence showing that the consumption of moderate amounts of mercury from seafood during pregnancy is not significantly linked with impaired fetal development as found in recent studies.

A 2018 study found that fish consumption promotes maternal as well as fetal health, which is good for fetal development.

The consumption of certain seafood that contains mercury – such as king mackerel, shark, tilefish, swordfish, bigeye tuna, and marlin – should be avoided, but other seafood should not be avoided due to concerns regarding mercury exposure.

It is recommended that pregnant women eat between eight and twelve ounces of seafood per week, according to the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Despite its mercury content, is calamari safe to eat during pregnancy?

As with mercury levels, seafood can contain varying levels depending on the species. Specifically, pregnant women should avoid seafood containing the highest mercury levels, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Thankfully, consumers who love to eat calamari won’t have to worry about mercury levels as this seafood is safe to consume during pregnancy – in moderation.

As far as seafood goes, there is no better choice than calamari for pregnant women or those who are considering becoming pregnant. Compared to shark, swordfish, tuna, and marlin, calamari contains less mercury at 0.024 parts per million (PPM).

Several servings of calamari can be consumed safely every week due to low mercury levels. There are 4 ounces in a serving.

What is the best way to cook calamari?

The consumption of squid during pregnancy is safe, but only if you cook it properly. Fish can be fried, sautéed, baked, or grilled.

RAW SEAFOOD SHOULD BE AVOIDED
As well as cooked sushi, squid can be eaten raw. During pregnancy, however, don’t eat raw or uncooked seafood when preparing sushi. You and your baby can get sick from raw seafood because it contains bacteria.

If you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t eat squid that has been seared. Your baby and yourself may get sick if your baby’s insides remain raw even while the outside cooks.

145°F (62.8°C) is the recommended internal temperature for seafood. Store any food leftover in the refrigerator as soon as possible after cooking. The growth of harmful bacteria only takes one to two hours at room temperature.

Are pregnant women able to benefit from calamari?

Besides being delicious, calamari contains nutrients that are beneficial to pregnant women. Calamari is full of Omega-3, for instance.

It is crucial for the development of the fetal brain during pregnancy to consume omega-3 fatty acids. Aside from that, calamari is an excellent source of protein, folic acid, zinc, selenium, copper, B12, and copper, and all of them are essential during pregnancy.

Does other seafood pose a health risk to pregnant women?

During pregnancy, you can eat other seafood as well. As well as low mercury seafood, mollusks such as scallops, oysters, and shrimp are also safe to consume.

Here are some other mercury-low fish:

white fish
catfish
crawfish
cod
salmon
flounder
sardine
lobster
whiting
herring

You can eat low mercury fish two or three times per week.

There are also bluefish, grouper, mahi-mahi, snapper, and white croaker that are all good choices. The amount of fish you can eat in this group per week is one serving.

Conclusion

It’s perfectly okay to indulge in a plate of calamari during pregnancy if a craving hits.

Because it has low mercury levels and high nutritional value, it is a good type of seafood to consume while both you and your growing baby are in good health – bon appétit!

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