The Dutch institute for nutritional advice, the Voedingscentrum, recently changed their dietary advice regarding fish consumption during pregnancy. Until now, the advice was to eat fish once a week, but this has been changed to twice a week. You can imagine pregnant fish lovers celebrate the news with a well-cooked piece of salmon or a delicious poké bowl with pangasius…

Oily fish and whitefish

Of course, not all fish is good for expecting women. It’s better to steer clear of tuna or crab, but many other seafood dishes do fit in a healthy diet for you and your baby. The Voedingscentrum guidelines recommend a mix of oily fish and whitefish. For example, you could start the week with a pangasius filet and celebrate the weekend with a delicious chunk of salmon, which is fattier.

Baby benefits

The omega 3 fatty acids abundant in fish is the reason why consuming fish is so highly recommended for mothers and their babies. Eating fish twice a week lowers the risk of premature birth. Good news for pregnant fish lovers, right? And that’s not all: the fatty acids of fish are also key ingredients for good prenatal brain and sight development. For these reasons alone, including fish in your prenatal diet is a solid choice.

Pangasius and other farmed fish

The Voedingscentrum especially highlights the benefits of farmed fish, such as pangasius and tilapia. Next to tastiness and health benefits, these kinds of fish are also farmed in a responsible manner. Labels such as the ASC quality mark prove that the fish you buy is farmed with care for nature and environmental sustainability.

Looking for a tasty fish dish? Have look at our pangasius recipes!