Modern people are paying more and more attention to nutrition and health, and their awareness of food is getting higher and higher; I believe that all people are clear: eating fish helps health, can supplement high-quality protein, and can also supplement unsaturated fatty acids and a variety of mineral elements. However, many people always have doubts in their minds: some people say that fish is not safe, then it is certainly not for children to eat! People take food as the sky, food to safety first, from the perspective of food safety, today I will discuss with you the problem of "children eating fish", not that you can't eat, but you won't (give it to them) to eat.
In fact, fish is a species with more "nutritional connotations" in animal foods, suitable for all ages, men and women love, and are slightly better in taste and nutrition.
Can children eat fish?
First of all, the answer is yes!
On October 28, 2021, the U.S. FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) also updated the old version of the 2019 guidance recommendations, which specifically clarify the guidance for pregnant women and infants to eat fish.
Fish is an important part of a healthy eating pattern: fish can provide the body with the protein, Ω-3 unsaturated fatty acids, Ω-6 unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin B12, vitamin D, the mineral zinc, iron, iodine, selenium, and choline, and the presence of these nutrients provides critical nutritional support for the brain and physical development of infants and young children.
Choline, which you may hear less, can support the development of a baby's spinal cord, while minerals such as iron and zinc can build a strong immune system in children.
How is it safer to eat fish?
Select "Fish with lower mercury content":
Needless to say, almost all fish contain methylmercury (trace amounts), and the size and longevity factors lead to very large differences; and long-term excessive exposure to methylmercury can pose a threat to the brain and nervous system. Therefore, for children and women in special periods (pregnancy, lactation), it is necessary to choose fish with a lower mercury content.
Calculated on the basis of mercury (intake/week), fish can be divided into three categories: best choice, good choice and avoidance choice.
For the "best choice" of fish, it is recommended to eat 2-3 times a week; "good choice" fish can eat once a week; "avoid food" fish is recommended not to eat.
Do not eat raw fish (aquatic products), safety first:
Fish is a problematic food and it is not recommended for children to eat any raw aquatic products (fish), including sushi and sashimi.
In addition, considering a variety of cooking methods, steaming is a cooking method that best preserves fish nutrients than other cooking methods (frying, frying, grilling and marinating), and the safety and health factor is higher.
It is worth noting that whether children or pregnant women, in the process of eating animal foods such as fish, livestock and poultry meat, eggs, etc., they can only eat foods that have been cooked and the cooking temperature should reach a certain standard (the core temperature is above 70 degrees Celsius).
When do children start eating fish?
Fish meat is rich in high-quality protein, from the time the baby first added complementary food (after 6 months), you can try to add fish puree, but you need to pay clear attention to the child's allergies (once the allergy occurs, you can try a small amount after a period of time).
Specifically, the safe selection of "fish" species recommended:
In freshwater aquatic products: freshwater perch, bighead carp, sturgeon, silver carp, Wuchang fish, mandarin fish are relatively safe, Ω-3 content is relatively high, can be edible. Aquatic products that eat more daily such as: striped fish, small yellow croaker, flounder, river perch, tilapia, sturgeon, cod, salmon, sardines, shrimp, scallops, squid, shrimp and crabs are also relatively safe. Sea bass, carp, silver cod, grouper, and snapper are also available once a week in the "Good Choice" range.
In our lives, all kinds of meat has become a must-have on the table, they are both delicious and nutritious, among them, the unique "fish meat" comprehensive quality is higher. Children eat fish, is a smart move, safe to eat, reliable to eat, healthy to eat, I hope that delicious fish can add luster to the child's body, for the child's life to weave a better.
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