Is Seafood Good for the Baby?
The health benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids in seafood go up a notch when addressing pre-natal advantages. Once he or she is eating table food, is seafood good for the baby? Yes! At City Fish Market, we offer fresh seafood to help ensure food safety, considering its short shelf life. Along with some cautionary information, check out facts below about getting babies in on the health benefits of eating seafood.
Pre-Natal Benefits of Eating Seafood
During pregnancy, eating seafood can provide a big boost to the baby’s body and brain development. Certain nutrients can help babies achieve optimal growth. So, the more you know about the benefits provided by seafood, the better.
If a pregnant or nursing mom eats a minimum of two servings of a variety of seafood each week, she and/or her baby can enjoy the following benefits:
- Seafood provides a boost in a baby’s brain development.
- Statistics show that when moms eat two servings of seafood each week, their babies will, on average, have a higher IQ than the babies of moms who do not.
- Mom feels better and experiences enhanced mental well-being during and after the pregnancy.
- The heart health of mom and baby are improved.
- Omega-3 fatty acids contribute to retina development in pre-born babies.
Fish is a lean protein that can be easier for a pregnant mom to digest. During pregnancy, experts recommend getting at least 25 extra grams of protein per day. Eating seafood can help pregnant moms increase their calcium—if they do not get enough calcium, their babies will draw their needed calcium from them! To learn more about the health benefits of eating seafood, see one of our blog posts about eating seafood for the sake of your health.
Fish for Babies 6 Months Old and Up
Turns out that various websites in the United Kingdom offer lots of helpful advice about feeding babies seafood. When you are weaning your baby, the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK advises that babies should be fed two portions of fish per week, one of which should be an oily fish packed with omega-3s, such as sardines or salmon. As older babies begin feeding themselves, fish fingers are great except for one proviso: Be sure the salt level isn’t too high. (High salt levels make smoked fish a dish to be avoided for babies.) The website MadeforMums.com offers 14 Fish Recipes for Babies.
Additional Warnings and Disclaimers
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides advice for practicing food safety in connection with the consumption of seafood. Certain types of fish tend to contain higher than normal levels of mercury, which can be harmful, especially to babies and the pre-born. Pregnant moms and nursing mothers are warned that, due to mercury content, they should avoid eating the following fish:
- Shark
- Swordfish
- King mackerel
- Tilefish
Get Fresh Seafood for Babies at City Fish Market
City Fish Market is proud to serve fresh seafood that provides healthy options for the entire family. Pregnancy is an especially crucial time to consider the benefits of seafood to the pre-born. As babies are weaned, you can contribute to your child’s ongoing health by serving seafood in different varieties twice per week. So, of course, yes, seafood is good for the baby! Excluding food allergies, babies and toddlers can typically eat salmon, cod, crab, shrimp, tuna, tilapia, sardines, catfish, clams, trout, haddock, and lobster.
Stop by today to get fresh seafood at our retail counters at 884 Silas Deane Hwy in Wethersfield, CT. We offer delivery! Simply call us or fill out our online form.