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My family wants to take me to a seafood place this weekend. Can I eat crab while pregnant?
The FDA says you can eat up to twelve ounces of any type of seafood in a week, a combination
of any types of fish and shellfish.
And what is crab classified as?
You can eat up to 12 ounces in a week without any serious problem. But make sure it is thoroughly
cooked, and don’t eat raw anything while pregnant.
Twelve ounces don’t sound like a lot.
Twelve ounces is equal to about two meals with fish.
Or one all you can eat trip to Red Lobster.
There are alternatives. If you want to eat fish, try salmon, sardines and anchovies,
because they are high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids but have almost no mercury.
Salmon sounds good, but the others smell so bad I know they’ll make me sick. Should
I avoid crab?
Predatory fish like swordfish and king mackerel are most likely to contain dangerous levels
of mercury that could hurt the baby. Crab and fish in moderation won’t hurt.
Seafood is a good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids that promote brain development.
I want to eat it, but I don’t want to hurt the baby.
Tuna is the food they recommend to avoid because of the mercury levels. Farm raised salmon
are safer than wild fish, though.
Could I eat lobster instead of the crab legs? I could tell him it’s a push present if
he complains about the cost.
You can eat a few ounces of lobster once a week. Don’t eat sushi, ceviche, sashimi,
carpaccio or fish and shellfish not cooked long enough.
My family just wants to enjoy the crab leg special at Joe’s crab shack.
Then you might want to go out now. Eating foods like crab legs when nursing may induce
food allergies for the baby.
Dang it! I feel like I’ve had to become a nutritionist since becoming pregnant, and
now you’re telling me the list lasts on past childbirth?
You’re going to be a parent, so get used to saying no, even to yourself. And if you
want to enjoy the evening, order all the deserts you want while you still can.