Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Mercury poisoning part II

For the benefit of those who would like to know a little bit more about mercury poisoning, I would like to share with you  thanks to Gloria who has researched and compiled (and pinned it on her refrigerator as a reminder of which you can do so too hehe..) on the same topic for your reference :) Happy reading !! And oh thanks Glo for letting me share this useful info ;p

Should I give my baby fish?
Fish is a major source of omega-3 fatty acids (specifically DHA and EPA), which are important for a child's brain and eye development. It's also low in saturated fat and high in protein, vitamin D, and other important nutrients. Fish is too good a nutritional choice – especially during early childhood – to give up, and most experts agree that the benefits of eating fish usually outweigh the risks.
Almost all fish and shellfish contain some mercury, but large predator fish accumulate the most. That's because predator fish eat other fish – fish that have absorbed mercury themselves. And the bigger the predator fish, the more fish it eats. Larger fish also tend to live longer than smaller fish, so there's simply more time for mercury to build up in their bodies.
Experts are still debating exactly how much mercury is harmful, but most agree it's a good idea to avoid feeding your children fish that are high in mercury and to limit (but not eliminate) other fish in their diet.
Fish to avoid
Some types of fish contain contaminants such as mercury. In high doses, this metal is harmful to a child's developing brain and nervous system. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that you avoid feeding your child shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish – large predatory fish that contain the highest levels of mercury.
Purdue toxicologist Santerre recommends that children between the ages of 2 and 6 not be served fresh or frozen tuna, striped bass, bluefish, Chilean sea bass, golden snapper, marlin, orange roughy, amberjack, Crevalle jack, Spanish mackerel from the Gulf of Mexico, and walleye from the Great Lakes.
So which fish – and how much – can I safely serve my child?
The FDA/EPA advisory says it's okay to serve your child two child-size servings a week of any fish and shellfish, other than the four you shouldn't serve at all: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. (See special restrictions on canned tuna below.) A child-size serving is 1 ounce of fish for 1- and 2-year-olds; 1.5 ounces for children ages 3 to 6; and 2 ounces for a child over age 6.
By the way, fish sticks aren't part of this equation because they're generally low in mercury. But they're also not a good source of omega-3s.
Fish that are both low in mercury and high in healthy fats: Herring, Mackerel (Atlantic, jack, chub), Rainbow trout (farm raised), Salmon (wild or farm raised), Sardines, Whitefish, Anchovy.

Very sorry as I am unable to give you the exact links of these info but Glo assured that they are from various reliable sources :)
I've also extracted this from the net for easy reading
Extracted from Tuberose.com

2 comments:

CathJ said...

great info... thanks... ;)

Lee said...

Hi, very interesting post. It is good to know all this.
I also believe to eat whatever in moderation.
And drink lots of Chinese green tea.

Love your cute kids. Nice family.
You keep well, and keep a song in your heart.
Lee.