Can pregnant women eat swordfish?

Swordfish, also known as swordfish, is called swordfish because it has an organ similar to a sword on its head. This kind of fish is rarely seen in the northern waters of my country, and can only be found in some waters near Hainan Island. Because this fish lives in tropical and subtropical areas. Swordfish are carnivores that survive primarily by eating other marine animals. Therefore, the meat is relatively thick, and the exercise makes it taste great.

Pregnant women are regarded as national treasures in the family and are loved and cared for by everyone in the family. There are some foods that are not suitable for pregnant women to eat, and they are absolutely not allowed to eat them. So, can pregnant women eat swordfish?

Swordfish are apex predators throughout their depth range, and their diet includes other pelagic fish, tunas, mahi-mahi, flying fish, squid, and other cephalopods. The meat of young swordfish is delicious and can be dried with salt for long-term preservation. It can also be processed into canned food, fish sausage, fish ham, etc. This kind of fish is rich in fat and contains a large amount of vitamins, potassium, etc.

The French public health and food safety agency (AFSSA) points out that pregnant women, breastfeeding women and infants under 30 months old should not eat swordfish. Studies have shown that predatory fish such as swordfish tend to concentrate a pollutant called methylmercury because they are at the end of the food chain. The substance occurs naturally or accidentally in the environment. Although methylmercury varies with the environment, its levels are relatively high in carnivorous fish. The central nervous system of young infants and young children will show a specific toxic response to this mercury derivative.

Of course, this type of fish does not have to be completely avoided. Pregnant and breastfeeding women can limit their weekly consumption to 150 grams, and for infants under 30 months old, it is 60 grams.

From the above, we can see that although swordfish has a relatively high nutritional value and is a marine organism under national protection. However, due to the food chain in which swordfish is located, it is possible that it carries some pollutants in its body. That being said, women who are pregnant should try not to eat swordfish for the sake of their baby’s health.