Should my children eat fish? How they can avoid mercury and still get their omega 3s?

We’ve all heard that some kinds of fish contain mercury, and that high levels of mercury can be dangerous to a child’s brain and nervous system. However, fish also provides some great benefits. Fish is the number one source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital to a child’s eye and brain development. And, in addition to fish being low in saturated fats, it is loaded with protein, vitamin D, and several other vital nutrients.

So, the key is to know what kinds of fish are the best for a child to eat. Some government agencies recommend that children and women in their childbearing years should not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish due to the high levels of mercury. However, it is acceptable to feed your child about two servings of other types of fish per week. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish have such a positive effect on a child’s vision and cognitive development that it is not recommended to remove fish from your child’s diet completely.

There are other foods that are fortified with these essential fatty acids such as milk, soy, yogurt, bread, eggs, cereal, and margarine, so if your child won’t eat fish, make sure to look for products that have 50mg or more of DHA per serving. There are also fish oil supplements that have no mercury and provide the essential fatty acids, but it’s always better if your child gets the full benefits of eating a food rather than a supplement.