Fishing for Omega-3 Fatty Acids
BY: Tara DelloIacono ThiesWhen it comes to eating fish, mothers-to-be are in a quandary to try to make safe and sustainable choices. Fish is a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient important to the well-being and developmental health of our babies. Yet, many fish are a source of mercury and other unfortunate contaminates. Fishing also takes a toll on the environment with fishing and farm methods that leave a fishy aftertaste in our mouths. Making safe and sustainable choices is not easy, plain and simple.
There are lots of options out there that get further complicated with the introduction of contaminated and poorly sourced fish choices; as a result, many women opt to skip out on fish altogether. Our seafood-deficient diets are leading to shortages in DHA, an important form of omega-3 fatty acids, which our bodies cannot make and must be obtained through our food.
DHA is also important to your baby’s developing brain and your psychiatric health. Research coming out of the most recent American Dietetic Association’s annual conference reveals a “no seafood diet” during pregnancy resulted in children with low verbal IQ’s, low social development, and poor peer interactions. Women who were DHA deficient were found to be more anxious and distressed. How much omega-3 fatty acids do you need each day? The Dietary Recommended Intake for non-pregnant women is 1.1 grams per day, which can come from all three types of omega-3’s: EPA, ALA, & DHA. Pregnant and breast feeding women need an additional DHA boost of .2-.3 grams per day.
Fish is one of the best sources of DHA. In fact, you can meet your needs by eating about 6-12 ounces of fish per week, that’s about three fillets.. This, however, leaves us with a complicated task of identifying which types of fish are good for our bodies and the planet. The fishing industry is plagued with issues that harm our oceans. The loss of sea life to unintentional catches, habitat damage, and overfishing are just a few concerns. According to the experts at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, farmed fish is an option as long as the farms are located inland, far from coastal waters.
Thankfully someone has done the thinking for us and created a simple pocket tool that you can use while shopping at the grocery store or even when you’re eating out. Check it out here.
This is a great tool to guide you to sustainably-caught and non-contaminated fish. After referring to this guide, you will see that there are a lot of good options; you can even have some canned tuna often thought to be totally off-limits.
Though fish is still your best bet, keep in mind that there are other sources of DHA, too.
There are some wonderful supplements both over-the-counter and prescription that you may want to consider:
Over the counter:
- Nordic Naturals
- Spectrum Fish Oil
Ask your doctor about:
- Natelle Plus
- Citranatal 90 DHA
- Duet DHA
- Prenate DHA
In addition to over-the-counter supplements, organic milk and organic yogurt are now fortified with additional DHA omega-3 fatty acids. Look for the three magic letters (DHA) on the front of the package.
There are a variety of sources of DHA, but the whole-food source is the best and most effective. So, head out to your fish market with the right tools to make the healthiest and most environmentally-conscious choice and get all the necessary DHA you and your baby need.
And while you’re at it, go ahead and enjoy that tuna sandwich.
