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Hello Ladies :)
Was thinking we might have Fish N Chips for dinner tonight but unsure if what I can actually have.
I know I can't have fish because it's flake but what about deep fried crumbed prawns?
Would they be ok?
I can eat chips n potato cakes but would like some sort of seafood if it's safe :)
Any suggestions?
Thanks :D
We're not allowed to eat flake? :o I can't remember hearing that! It wasn't flake, but I did have fish for dinner last night... I wonder if that's "allowed"?:
I think it's shark you can't have.
Umm... I worked in my mum's takeaway shop through both my first pregnancies & ate from there almost daily (mostly healthier stuff)
I would probably steer clear of the seafood sticks, nuggets & anything like that that is processed (not that I did), but prawns, fish, chips, burgers should be ok.
I never knew you couldn't eat fish either! I've always eaten it throughout pregnancy. We have it every Friday night
Flake is shark.
Once a fortnight is ok if you have no other fish
The nsw govt health site has a really good comprehensive booklet on safe pg eating Inc fish
The issue with large fish (like flake, tuna, marlin, etc) is that they can contain higher levels of mercury than small fish, simply because they eat little fish and will have a higher concentration in their system. That said, most Australians don't eat the recommended 3-4 serves of fish a week, so if you are having the odd bit of flake or can of tuna it is probably not going to cause you any harm. It also helps if you try and source Australian/NZ waters fish.
If anything, the prawns from a local fish 'n' chippie are likely to be nasty imported stuff from some dodgy Asian fishing ground, so they would probably be far worse than any large fish on offer.
You can eat anything. fish wise as its only a concern if you eat too much of the 'bad' fish ie that will high mercery levels, however i always get a steak sandwich with cheese, egg, and onion, no salad!
You can eat flake no probs, just so long as you have not had any other high mercury fish. The problem with Shark (flake) comes from when sharks are dying, they release mercury into their blood as a final up yours to whatever is killing it, and presumably, eating it. If the fish isn't bled immediately after it is killed, the mercury toxifies the flesh of the fish and you cannot eat it.
This is not usually an issue at all with commercial fisherman, as they bleed the sharks immediately they are caught.
You can eat everything from the fish n chip shop, even flake ;), but you may want to steer clear of things like pre-fried chikko rolls, or shellfish.
ok so I guess I'm staying clear of the prawn cutlets now haha I don't want to get sick and hurt bubs. How about whiting? that's a small fish so should have low mercury levels shouldn't it?
I wasn't aware you could have flake (Shark) once a fortnight either :) but think if i can i will stick to a smaller fish with lower levels if that's how it works.
I would have hated to not have my regular peice of fish from my local fish & chip place when I was pregnant with Anelise... I craved it sooooooooooo much.
Like the other have said, once a fortnight wouldn't do any harm.
Thankyou so much ladies, it's good to know i can enjoy my occassional treat of fish n chips without worrying.
It shouldn't be a problem!
I eat a fair bit of fish but I am careful of what types. Usually they say the large deep sea fish are the ones with higher mercury, so there are different levels of whats safe.
The little flavoured tuna cans can be eaten 3 times a week with no other fish that week, fish like barra, trout, fresh water fish, they are all safe for 2-3 times per fortnight with no other fish etc..
est site is the NSW health site cause it lists the table of what's good n what's not...
I have to be weary of it because it's my main source of protein as I don't eat any red meat or chicken/pork... Fish is it!
But from the fish n chip shop most stuff would be fine if they cooked it for you fresh not took it out of the bain maree...
Whiting is fine. In general the bigger deep sea fish that are higher up the food chain have higher mercury levels.
He he.... I just enjoyed a piece of grilled flake with potato cakes and chips for lunch! Completely forgot about what not to eat but I dont eat a great deal of fish anyway. You could always get blue grenadier... thats what I used to get when my brain wasnt so bombarded with pg hormones and 2 young girls to chase around!
Happy fish and chip night:)
Yeah that!:
Big fish eat little fish so the big fish have higher mercury content.
Flake once every 2 weeks is fine or you can have ither fish more regularly. (whiting, butter fish, blue grenidear) Kids shouldnt eat flake either.
Tinned tuna is not a problem at all
Enjoy
Most fish n' chip shops give you options for the fish you can have - flake or other cheap fish (at our local it's cod) are the default fish, but you should be able to ask for a fillet of any other kind of fish you like, battered or crumbed, you just pay a little bit extra for it, itms :) I ate stacks of fish and chips when pregnant, both times we lived in houses where there was a fish and chip shop within 200m lol :D
I avoided shellfish (I was DEVO, love the stuff!) during pgs but made up for it by eating buckets of potato scallops instead of the fishy ones ;)
Enjoy your fish & chips, you've just made me huuungry! Haven't had it in ages! :D
Are Ocean Trout and Salmon considered "safe" (i.e., low mercury) fish?
Thanks.
I thought is was normal too to have the choice of fish and to have the choice of being battered, crumbed or grilled but apparently it's not like that in most of Australia. Our Fish and Chip shop offers barramundi, cod or flake but most of it depends on the fishing season I think.:
Honestly, you will probably do more good for your baby having a serve of fish each week (brain development food ;)) then the risk of the mercury levels in some of the larger fish. I think that you are meant to avoid preprepared salads from places like that because if they are not washed properly they can carry listeria.
Bluiej - I think both trout and salmon are okay and low in mercury. It is predator fish that tend to have the higher levels of mercury ...