Is It Safe To Eat Halibut During Pregnancy?
When we are talking about fish and how you should eat it, there are many opinions, and overall, most of them are correct because cooking and even eating fish can be a matter of personal preference.
But meanwhile, there are conditions you must know about these fishes, especially when pregnant.
Some of the fish you have seen and tasted before cannot be consumed in the pregnancy era, but there are ways that you can prepare it right and even choose the right kind of fish.
In this article, the Hipregnancy team will talk about halibut during pregnancy, how to consume it, and whether it is safe to eat it as a pregnant lady.
So, let’s get to the article and talk about eating halibut fish when pregnant, so let’s get started and see what you have to know.
Is halibut high in mercury?
As you may have recalled from some of our previous articles, we have mentioned that fish is good for pregnancy, however, under certain conditions.
As you can tell, the fishes would have a certain amount of mercury in their system, which travels through their blood, and this substance is one of the most dangerous for pregnant ladies who want to eat fish.
The mercury level in the fish is essential; it can change based on the fish’s depth, and you have to search for suitable fishes in this order.
While the halibut fishes are low on mercury, you have to pay attention to the breed of the fish because it can also make a difference in the mercury level.
Remember that before using any fish you want, you should consult your doctor first and then use these fish.
And also, if you want to know that can you eat crawfish while pregnant, just read this article.
Let’s get to the next section of the statement and get going, shall we?
Is halibut safe for babies?
High levels of mercury are defining for most individuals and spec, especially those who have enough strength in their immune systems.
This fact indicates that if you consume too much mercury from the fish you are eating, there is a chance that it will have some side effects.
We have seen babies eat fish, which is good because fish, especially halibut, is very nutritious, but the fact that this fish has some mercury may concern some individuals.
We said that when you are eating fish, ensure that the fish has low levels of mercury, and the same goes for the babies that want to eat.
When the baby starts to eat solid food, you can feed them fish; however, you must be careful about the intake.
If you want to do such a thing, you have to feed the baby halibut once every week and in small amounts because the infant’s body can handle so much mercury, which can damage the development and even the overall health of the baby.
Can pregnant women eat halibut?
The same logic can be applied to pregnant ladies.
As you may know, mercury is an element that can be found in nature. However, it can sometimes have some benefits to science and such, but overall, it is a harmful substance to consume, and if intake is more on, it can cause digestive and organ failure.
And high levels of mercury can also lead to cancer in some cases, so you have to be aware of that.
In addition, we have to say that pregnant women can eat halibut fish, but it is a decent option according to the FDA and not the best option, which can be concerning.
But control your 150 grams intake every week. You will be just fine, and as we have said before purchasing this fish or getting it in a restaurant, make sure that you specify that you are pregnant and you are looking for a halibut with the lowest rate of mercury in it.
And also, you have to cook it to be able to consume this fish without any worries.
In addition, eating salmon while pregnant can be a decent option.
And also, you have to know about the list of unsafe fish during pregnancy from the article we have prepared for you.
Now let’s see how you can cook the halibut while pregnant.
How to cook halibut for a pregnant woman?
As you know, it is costumery that in some countries fish gets served raw, although not all fish.
But if you ever encounter a situation where you have to eat raw fish and are pregnant, we strongly advise you to avoid it.
Because of the bacteria and the mercury inside of the fish, you may get food poisoning or, even worst, a miscarriage.
Remember that to avoid these incidents, you must cook the halibut to the core and full.
There are many ways that you can prepare halibut fish.
Make sure that you always water boil the fish and cook the meat before grilling or roasting it with other spices and such, and also make sure to keep the spice level on these fishes at average because the high amount of herbs can also cause early contractions that can damage the baby and the mother.
40 minutes of boiling water can cook the halibut, but if you want to be safe, make sure to go up to one hour, and then you have to dry it and roast it with low-cholesterol oils such as olive oil or vegetable oil of any kind however avoid coconut oil and butter because it can give an odd taste to the fish.
And in the end, make sure to read about some of the most critical fish consumption matters as well, such as:
Pros and Cons of halibut fish for pregnant women?
As you may know, every food and consumable has pros and cons, no matter if you are pregnant or not, but if you are, this matter becomes more critical.
In this section of the statement, we will discuss the pros and cons of halibut fish, and in the end, we will give a final answer on whether pregnant women can eat halibut.
So, let’s get to the list:
Pros
- As a fish relatively nutritious
- High amounts of Omega-3 while pregnant
- Easy to cook
- Low levels of mercury
Cons
- Mercury in the bloodstream
- Rather expensive
- The low potential of marinating
These are some of the pros and cons you have to know about halibut during pregnancy, and then you can decide whether you want to consume the halibut during pregnancy or not.
And in the end, keep in mind that the side effects of these foods are essential. For instance, you must know about benefits of octopus while pregnant before consuming it.
Now let’s get to the end and see the final word.
Final words…
Eating fish can be one of the best diets that you can find because it is full of the substances that your body needs.
However, when you are pregnant, everything changes because your body also does.
Keep in mind that this article discussed halibut safety during pregnancy, and then we mentioned the pros and cons you had to know before deciding on getting this fish.
Make sure you follow all of the instructions we have given you in this article, and then you will be good and have no worries about eating halibut during pregnancy.
Overall, halibut is safe for pregnant women.
In the end, you might also want to read about cod while pregnant and lox during pregnancy; make sure to read these articles.
The Hipregnancy team will be happy that you decided to stay with us until the end of the “Is halibut high in mercury” article. If you have any feedback, contact us, and we will come to your aid and hear you out.