The benefits of fish in the diet are known, and especially in the diet of the future mother. According to a recent study from the University of Granada, among other things, eating fish in pregnancy improve children's intellectual capacity.
They have observed that those born to women who consumed more fish during pregnancy had better results in tests of verbal intelligence, fine motor skills and better prosocial behavior.
For this, they have analyzed the long-chain fatty acids of the omega-3 and omega-6 series in blood samples from more than 2,000 women at 20 weeks of pregnancy and the umbilical cord of their children at birth. They have seen that there is a greater contribution to the synthesis of long-chain omega-6 fatty acids by the fetus than expected and that the amount of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplied to the fetus by the mother through The placenta could be very important.
Fish oil is the main source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a key structural component of brain cell membranes.
Therefore, the consumption of fish in pregnancy promotes baby's brain development, as well as psychomotor and a better development of social skills.
The effects of fish intake on pregnancy on the mental performance of children are indisputable, therefore it cannot be lacking in the pregnant woman's diet, but always in moderation and choosing the species that have the lowest concentration of mercury.
The most recommended fish for pregnant women are albacore (and canned tuna), salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, anchovy or bocarte, mullet, eel, horse mackerel or common rind, green, palometa, sea trout, dogfish, and in terms of white fish: hake, whiting, monkfish, scorpionfish, sole, rooster, fresh cod ... Avoid bluefin tuna and swordfish, as well as panga and perch by the high doses of mercury detected in these species .
