"Children will become smarter if they eat more fish" and "pregnant women should also eat fish, which is good for their children" - we all know that eating fish is good. As the representative of "white meat" respected by nutritionists, what are the benefits of fish and aquatic food? How should I eat it? Taking omega-3 supplements is better than eating fish directly Fish is part of a healthy diet. We should cultivate the habit of eating fish often from an early age. Whether during pregnancy, lactation or infancy, eating fish can provide important nutrients for fetal and infant brain development, such as omega-3 fatty acids (including DHA and EPA), omega-6 fatty acids, iron and zinc (supporting children's immune system), iodine (very important during pregnancy), choline (promoting the development of infant spinal cord), etc. In addition, fish is also rich in other nutrients, such as high-quality protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, selenium and so on. Someone asked, can omega-3 supplements be used instead of fish? Omega-3 fatty acid is one of the key nutrients required for rapid brain development in early childhood. However, omega-3 supplements only have this component and can not provide the protein, vitamins and minerals rich in fish, which are also important for adult health and child development. Therefore, omega-3 supplements can not replace fish. In addition, the health benefits of omega-3 supplements are still controversial. The current research results do not support the statement that "taking fish oil capsules can improve children's IQ", and even studies suggest that taking fish oil supplements can not effectively reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, it is recommended that people eat fish directly instead of taking omega-3 supplements. Large carnivorous fish are more likely to accumulate methylmercury Although fish and other aquatic products are beneficial to health, they are also vulnerable to environmental pollution. Some studies have found that eating fish is beneficial to the intellectual development of infants and young children, but if you eat more mercury, it will reduce the intellectual level. Therefore, you must choose fish with low mercury content. Especially for pregnant women, lactating women and children, it is very important to reduce dietary mercury intake. Mercury is a common environmental pollutant, which exists in rivers, lakes and oceans, and is easy to be transformed into methylmercury. After being gradually enriched and concentrated, mercury has become an important pollutant in fish and aquatic products. After Mercury enters the human body, the removal speed is very slow. Long term exposure to too much methylmercury will cause cumulative toxicity and damage to the brain and nervous system. Almost all fish contain trace amounts of methylmercury, but the content varies greatly. Large carnivorous fish are more likely to accumulate methylmercury. For the same fish, the longer they live, the more mercury they accumulate. The same fish live in seriously polluted waters, and the degree of pollution is relatively large. Methylmercury in fish cannot be removed by cleaning, nor can it be decomposed by heating and cooking. The main way to reduce mercury intake is to choose safe species of fish. The scallop in shell perch, small yellow croaker, sole, river perch, tilapia, sturgeon, COD, salmon, sardine, prawn, scallop, squid, shrimps and crab are all safe. Sea bass, mackerel, grouper, snapper and halibut are also good choices. You can eat them 1-2 times a week. The amount of fish the size of your palm is about "one share" Sushi and sashimi are not recommended for pregnant women and children How much fish should I eat? It is recommended to choose 2-3 servings of fish every week. How much is that one? You can help with your palm. The bigger the body, the more people want to eat, so don't worry about everyone's palm size. How big your palm is and how big a piece of fish is your "share". For children, usually, a portion is about: 1-3 years old, 1 ounce, about 30 grams; 4-7 years old, 2 ounces, about 60g; 8-10 years old, 3 ounces, about 90g; 11 years and older, 4 ounces, about 120 grams. For pregnant and lactating women, one serving is 4 ounces, about 120 grams. It should be emphasized that pregnant women and children are not recommended to eat raw fish and aquatic products, nor sushi and sashimi. Pregnant women and children can only eat cooked fish, meat, poultry or eggs with a safe temperature inside to prevent possible microorganisms. Pregnant women and children usually have weak immune systems and are at greater risk of foodborne diseases, so be extra cautious. How old can a child eat fish? After the baby is 6 months old, breast milk or infant formula can no longer meet its nutritional and developmental needs, and supplementary food needs to be added in time. Complementary foods must have sufficient nutritional value and be diversified to include taste, texture and different types of foods, including fish. However, when adding fish food, we must pay attention to safety and remove the spines to avoid the risks of fish spines sticking to the baby, choking and suffocation. It should be noted that fish and aquatic products are relatively easy to cause food allergy. After feeding fish to your child for the first time, carefully observe for a few days to see if there is any allergy. If you have a history of food allergy in your family or your child has any signs of food allergy, please consult your doctor in time. Some parents worry that food will cause allergies, so they always dare not add peanut, fish, shrimp and other foods that are easy to cause allergies to their children's menu. However, studies in recent years have shown that children exposed to these foods too late are not beneficial to the prevention of food allergies. Early exposure is beneficial. (outlook new era)