lautnusantara.com During pregnancy, mothers must be careful in choosing the food they consume. Because, the nutrients from the food eaten by the mother will also be absorbed by the fetus. These nutrients are used by the fetus to support its growth and development until it is born later.

Talking about nutrition, one of the sources of nutritious food that must be consumed during pregnancy is fish. However, is stingray a safe food and can be eaten by pregnant women?

Can Pregnant Women Eat Stingrays?

Responding to this issue, dr. Reza Fahlevi, Sp. A, said that stingray is safe for pregnant women to consume. This is because stingray contains high levels of protein and fat. In 100 grams of stingray alone, it is known to contain 20 grams of protein and 9 grams of fat.

Protein and fat are one of the important substances that must be fulfilled during pregnancy. By fulfilling the protein needs during pregnancy, some benefits that can be obtained by the mother and fetus include:

• Protein and fat help promote the development of fetal body tissues, including brain development.
• Protein and fat are good for helping the development of tissue in pregnant women, one of which is breast tissue which will later produce breast milk.

Read Also : 10 Types of Fish That Are Good for Pregnant Women to Consume for Maternal and Fetal Health

In addition, stingrays are a source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Fatty acids from stingrays are nutritious for both the fetus and the mother. 

It doesn't stop there, stingrays also contain high levels of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, niacin, phosphorus and fluoride.

The vitamin B12 content in stingray functions to form red blood cells, as well as maintaining the health of the nerves of pregnant women and the fetus they are carrying.

Meanwhile, the phosphorus content of stingray is useful for strengthening metabolism, maintaining hormonal balance, and helping the absorption of vitamins.

Pay Attention to This When Pregnant Women Eat Stingray

Even though stingray is a type of fish that is safe for pregnant women to eat, you still have to pay attention to the portions.

Doctor Reza asked the mother to balance her eating stingray with other sources of protein. For example, her food intake is alternated or combined with eating salmon, tuna, chicken, eggs, beef, and so on.

"Don't eat stingray every day just because it's good and beneficial for pregnant women. It's better to balance it and vary it with other foods or sources of protein. Stingray nutrition is also not complex, its vitamins and minerals are not all complete. So, it must be varied," said Dr. Reza.

"By eating a variety of foods, the micro and micronutrient needs will be met well. Mothers can consume stingray, as long as it is limited to once a week or once a month," he added.

Read Also : 10 Health Benefits of Fish Oil

Apart from being combined with other foods, there are several other do's and don'ts that pregnant women need to know when eating stingray, namely:

• Pregnant women should cook stingray until cooked so that no bacteria or germs enter the body. To vary the nutrition, you can process stingray with other types of vegetables such as spinach and carrots.
• Pregnant women are asked to only eat the meat, not the tail! Because, the meat of the stingray can be clean or free from poison, but the tail is not. Remember, some stingray tails that are still alive in the ocean can sting and kill humans because they contain poison.
• Avoid eating large stingrays. Because large fish have more mercury content than small fish.

Those are some rules for eating stingray that you need to know. To be on the safe side, it is best to consult with your obstetrician first about what foods are and are not allowed to be consumed during pregnancy. 

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