Nursing times require you to pay extra attention to your diet. A breastfeeding mother should consume a wide variety of foods so that she can provide the best nutrients for her baby.
However, some foods tend to have a controversial aspect regarding their safety for breastfeeding mothers. If you like sushi, you might wonder if it is safe to consume it while you are nursing. As delicious as sushi can be, this answer is not a straightforward one.
Can You Eat Sushi Whilst Breastfeeding?
You will find that the standard rule says to avoid sushi while you are pregnant, but you can go back to enjoying this dish when you are breastfeeding.
This is also where the confusion comes from, as many women think they should avoid the same foods they avoided during their pregnancy, even in the nursing phase.
During pregnancy, sushi can expose the mother as well as the baby to bacteria, and this is why it should be avoided.
While you can consume sushi as a nursing mother, you still have to pay attention to the quality of the sushi. Stay away from sushi that has high mercury levels. Try to orientate yourself towards the cooked sushi or the raw fish that is a bio, with no chemicals or mercury in it.
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Things to consider for Sushi-eating Nursing Moms
Here are some essential things to consider when you want to eat sushi as a breastfeeding mother!
- Eat sushi from a restaurant you trust. This is an excellent method to know that the fish used in sushi is of high quality. If you have any questions regarding the fish and where it came from, you shouldn’t hesitate to ask the chef. It is no reason to take risks that you don’t have to take, especially when there is plenty of healthy fish out there.
- Cooked fish, sometimes found in sushi recipes, is the right choice for breastfeeding moms. If you eat fish that comes from cold water, you will get a considerable amount of vitamin D as well as Omega 3 fatty acids. Both of these ingredients will benefit you and your baby. Fish has a lot of protein and is low in saturated fat. Omega 3 will help your child have perfect eyesight and develop their cognitive functions.
- Cod
- Crab
- Hake
- Oyster
- Herring
- Mackerel
- Perch
- Pollock
- Clam
- Anchovy
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Skate
- Shrimp
- Whiting
- Scallop
- Sardine
- King Mackerel
- Shark
- Swordfish
- Tilefish
- Marlin
According to the FDA, nursing moms should have up to 3 fish servings in a week, with each serving around 4 oz in size.
Note that you can find all types of fish and seafood in sushi, so you should know the ingredients right before enjoying such a dish.
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Now that you know you can eat sushi and fish in general, all you have to do is pay attention to the quality of your fish before eating it.
If you get all the information regarding the mercury level in your fish, you and your baby should enjoy its benefits without taking any risks!
Key References
- “ADVICE ABOUT EATING FISH” – FDA.gov. Accessed April 04, 2020. Link.
