Most women who are pregnant or wishing to become pregnant have heard the warnings about eating sushi. There are risks to pregnant women due to certain bacteria and increased exposure to mercury. But, women also need to remember that not all sushi is uncooked, and most fish contain essential nutrients and vitamins needed for growth and development of their baby. Eating fish that is cooked can help reduce the risk of exposure to certain bacteria. Eating fish that is not on the “high” mercury list is also a way to eat fish safely. The NRDC has compiled a list of fish used in sushi and where they rank in their levels of mercury. Many of the main sushi type fish contain high levels of mercury and should be completely avoided or eaten very rarely.  If you have further questions regarding sushi, you should talk with your health care provider to get their recommendation. Sushi with Higher Levels of Mercury Avoid the following sushi while pregnant: Inada (very young yellowtail)

Kanpachi (very young yellowtail) Maguro (bigeye, bluefin or yellowfin tuna) Meji (young bigeye, bluefin* or yellowfin tuna)jiro dreams of sushi geary Seigo (young sea bass)*sushi tei bali review Toro (bigeye, bluefin or yellowfin tuna)sushi making kit bed bath and beyond The FDA has identified four fish with the highest levels of mercury that should be avoided during pregnancy. sushi tei jakarta reviewThese include tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico, swordfish, shark, and king mackerel. Albacore tuna should also be limited to 6 ounces per week. Sushi with Lower Levels of Mercury Enjoy up to two 6-oz servings a week:

Hamo (pike conger; sea eel) Tobikko (flying fish egg) Uni (sea urchin roe) About the Mercury level categories: The categories on the list are determined according to the following mercury levels in the flesh of the tested fish. Lower Mercury: Less than 0.29 parts per million High Mercury: More than 0.3 parts per million List obtained from the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC) from data obtained by the FDA and the EPA. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2014). Fish: What pregnant women and parents should know. Raw sushi-grade** fish is just fine to eat during pregnancy, provided it's low mercury.I know, I know. You've probably heard the old "pregnant women should avoid raw fish." The issue with that is that it's an assumption not backed up in actual science. This seems to be a trend with pregnancy and child-related things. People seem to be especially excited about anything that makes mothers sacrifice, as though sacrifices make you a better mother.

And so many of those assumptions -- like this one -- are wrong. They get repeated so much that they just get accepted as common knowledge.Sushi -- at least in the US -- is safe for pregnant women.Is Sushi Safe to Eat?Sushi eaters don't typically have to worry because sushi restaurants take certain steps in handling and preparing their fish. A required step involves freezing fish at temperatures of -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius) for seven days, or frozen at -31 degrees Fahrenheit (-35 degrees Celsius) for 15 hours, which kills any parasites."As far as sushi goes, the rules are in place because people were getting sick," said Keith Schneider, a microbiologist and food safety expert at the University of Florida. "The parasites are why we do the freezing on the raw fish."The cases of sushi-related illness fall far below the number of people sickened by contaminated produce such jalapeno peppers. Even in those rare cases, the rice in sushi is more often the culprit than the fish.

In other words: yes, just because the fish is raw doesn't mean that the parasites haven't been killed. Cooking is not the only way to kill parasites.High-mercury fish is not safe during pregnancy... but that has nothing to do with sushi.You should avoid tuna sushi for the same reasons you should avoid cooked tuna: mercury.Salmon is one of the most popular low-mercury fish. Mercury Levels in FishThat said, it's technically okay to eat some moderate or high mercury fish. In fact, they've more recently been revising the advice. Fish is such an important food that it's probably better that you eat high mercury fish than none at all.Sushi is healthy and has important nutrients. Eat away.** That is, don't go and pick up fish from the supermarket and eat it raw. That's not sushi-grade and hasn't been processed in the same ways.There is no scientific evidence that says eating sushi during pregnancy causes complications.From Time Magazine:True or False? 20 Common Myths About Pregnancy"Myth #5: You can’t eat sushi.

Sushi is permissible except for mackerel, shark, tilefish and swordfish. And don’t eat too much tuna — no more than 12. oz (about two maki, or rolls) per week."The reason they say no sushi is because of the mercury content. Try to avoid the fish that is high in mercury (tuna) to be on the safe side and opt for shrimp or salmon instead. Make sure you are careful and going to a very reputable place that is very clean to avoid getting food poisoning.Source: True or False? 20 Common Myths About Pregnancy | the elderly and pregnant women, are well advised not to each cold-smoked and gravad fish products without cooking.Is it safe to eat seared, smoked, or raw fish during pregnancy?Both the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration recommend that pregnant women only eat fish and shellfish that has been cooked to 145 degrees F. Cooking fish to this temperature destroys any potentially harmful parasites and pathogens (other disease-causing organisms such as bacteria and viruses).

Fish that is "seared" is typically not fully cooked throughout and is thus not cooked to a safe temperature. Some types of smoking also do not cook fish to a safe temperature, so you'll want to avoid smoked fish as well. You'll also want to avoid raw oysters and sushi made with raw fish.Because your immune system is suppressed during pregnancy (which helps your body not attack your growing baby), you're more susceptible to foodborne illnesses, such as Listeriosis.Eating raw or undercooked fish or shellfish could result in an illness severe enough to cause a blood infection that could be life-threatening for you and your baby.Raw fish that has been frozen is not safe during pregnancy, either. While freezing can destroy potentially harmful parasites, it does not kill pathogens.Cook fish to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). When a food thermometer is not available, follow these tips to determine when seafood is done:Cook fish until it's opaque (milky white) and flakes with a fork.

Cook shrimp, lobster, and scallops until they reach their appropriate color. The flesh of shrimp and lobster should be an opaque (milky white) color. Scallops should be opaque (milky white) and firm.Cook clams, mussels, and oysters until their shells open. This means that they are done. Throw away the ones that didn't open.Shucked clams and shucked oysters are fully cooked when they are opaque (milky white) and firm.Finally, you'll want to avoid certain fish (such as swordfish) even when cooked, because they can contain potentially risky levels of methylmercury. Studies show that exposure to high concentrations of methylmercury during pregnancy can impair a baby's growing brain and nervous system. (Read more about avoiding mercury while eating fish during pregnancy.)Learn more:Find out what's safe to eat during pregnancy (and what's not).2008a. Food safety for moms-to-be. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. How to make 3 perfect pregnancy meals See all pregnancy, parenting, and birth videos