Eat Fish, Forget Mercury Urges FDA

Monday, December 15, 2008 9:56 AM

By: Sylvia Booth Hubbard

Forget those government warnings that urge women and children to limit the amount of fish they eat, says the Food and Drug Administration. The benefits of eating seafood outweigh any health risks and people should eat more fish, regardless of mercury content, says the FDA, which is asking the government to change their health advisory limiting the amount of fish recommended for women and children.

If the White House approves, the FDA would reverse government policy that warns particular groups of people—children, infants, pregnant women, nursing moms and even women who may become pregnant—to limit their consumption of fish. The report, which the FDA sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget, disputed the existing warnings saying that the nutrients in fish, which include omega-3 fatty acids and selenium, could boost a child’s IQ. The “Washington Postâ€