March 2006 Feeding Kids Newsletter

News & Views on Child Nutrition
For Parents, Educators, and Health Professionals
by Connie Evers, MS, RD
Issue 58, March 2006

It's little wonder that consumers are confused about seafood. On one hand, nutrition experts advise consumers to eat more fish because it is a source for high-quality protein, nutrients and healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids). On the other hand, there are regular reports that warn us to decrease fish consumption because of the risk of methylmercury toxicity.

Methylmercury is a heavy metal that accumulates in the food chain. Larger, older fish accumulate greater levels of mercury throughout their life and pose the greatest risk. Fish that are small and have short lives (such as salmon) contain the least amount of mercury contamination. Because mercury is an integral part of the tissue of the fish, it cannot be washed or cooked away.

Groups at Risk
The biggest risk of methylmercury toxicity is to the developing brain. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), infants who have been exposed to high levels of methylmercury in the womb through their mother's diet can suffer deficits in thinking, memory, attention, language, and fine motor and visual spatial skills.

Thus, the groups at the greatest risk include pregnant women, women who may become pregnant, breastfeeding mothers (mercury can pass through breast milk) and young children under the age of six.

Guidelines from the EPA and FDA
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the EPA have issued the following recommendations for pregnant or breastfeeding women, women who may become pregnant and young children:

Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.

Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.

Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.

Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

In the News
It is clear that methylmercury contamination of fish will not go away any time soon. There is also no relationship between the cost or quality of the fish and the level of methylmercury. To reiterate, it has more to do with the age and size of the fish. A case in point — fresh "sushi-grade" tuna from fine restaurants in Los Angeles were recently found to have high levels of methylmercury.

The Chicago Tribune recently did an in-depth report on this issue and developed a comprehensive and interactive website to accompany the series. Visit www.chicagotribune.com/mercury to learn more about this issue.

Connie Evers, MS, RD, is the author of How to Teach Nutrition to Kids and additional resources located at http://nutritionforkids.com.

For an order form that you can print and mail or fax to us, click here.

To order online, please visit our secure shopping cart.
Did you know that Connie is a frequent and popular speaker at state and national conferences on child nutrition topics? Email her at connie@nutritionforkids.com to discuss.

	Fear of Fish? Guidelines for maximizing nutrition, minimizing risk It's little wonder that consumers are confused about seafood. On one hand, nutrition experts advise consumers to eat more fish because it is a source for high-quality protein, nutrients and healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids). On the other hand, there are regular reports that warn us to decrease fish consumption because of the risk of methylmercury toxicity. Methylmercury is a heavy metal that accumulates in the food chain. Larger, older fish accumulate greater levels of mercury throughout their life and pose the greatest risk. Fish that are small and have short lives (such as salmon) contain the least amount of mercury contamination. Because mercury is an integral part of the tissue of the fish, it cannot be washed or cooked away. Groups at Risk The biggest risk of methylmercury toxicity is to the developing brain. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), infants who have been exposed to high levels of methylmercury in the womb through their mother's diet can suffer deficits in thinking, memory, attention, language, and fine motor and visual spatial skills. Thus, the groups at the greatest risk include pregnant women, women who may become pregnant, breastfeeding mothers (mercury can pass through breast milk) and young children under the age of six. Guidelines from the EPA and FDA The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the EPA have issued the following recommendations for pregnant or breastfeeding women, women who may become pregnant and young children: Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury. Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week. In the News It is clear that methylmercury contamination of fish will not go away any time soon. There is also no relationship between the cost or quality of the fish and the level of methylmercury. To reiterate, it has more to do with the age and size of the fish. A case in point — fresh "sushi-grade" tuna from fine restaurants in Los Angeles were recently found to have high levels of methylmercury. The Chicago Tribune recently did an in-depth report on this issue and developed a comprehensive and interactive website to accompany the series. Visit www.chicagotribune.com/mercury to learn more about this issue.

	RECIPE: Navy Bean Chowder This soup is hearty and filling, especially on a blustery March day. I adapted this recipe from one I found in a little Nebraska bean booklet years ago. (my father was a Nebraska bean farmer for many years!) 1 lb. dried navy beans 1 cup chopped onion 1 1/2 cups chopped celery 1/4 cup soft margarine (trans-fat free) 1/4 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt (optional) 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3 cups non-fat or 1% milk 1 - 16 ounce can petite diced tomatoes 2 cups frozen corn, thawed and drained 4 ounces (1 cup) grated sharp cheddar cheese bottled hot sauce (optional) DIRECTIONS: 1. Rinse and sort beans. To quick soak beans, add 8 cups of water and bring to boil. Turn off heat, cover, and set aside for at least one hour. 2 . After soaking, drain and add 8 cups of fresh water and salt. Cook beans at a slow boil until tender (approximately 2 hours). Do not drain again. 3. Sauté onion and celery in margarine in a separate saucepan. Blend in flour and pepper. Stir in milk and bring mixture to a boil. 4. Add milk mixture to the beans, along with the corn, tomatoes and cheddar cheese. Heat to boiling and serve. 5. If desired, add a few drops of hot sauce prior to eating. Makes 12 generous servings

	News in Brief On being healthy — What do girls think? A new Girl Scout Research Institute Study combined focus group research with a nationally representative online survey of more than 2,000 eight- to 17-year-old girls from different racial, ethnic, geographic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. The study yielded four broad findings: for most girls, being healthy has more to do with appearing "normal" and feeling accepted than maintaining good diet and exercise habits; emotional health, self-esteem and body image play a critical role in girls' attitudes about diet and exercise; girls have basic knowledge about healthy eating but often don't act on this knowledge, and many regularly make poor diet and exercise choices; and mothers exert tremendous influence as the most frequently cited source of health information and as role models for their daughters. FMI, visit http://www.girlscouts.org/news/news_releases/2006/healthy_living.asp Newly revised body image poster for teens Everyone is different. So, what is normal? is a new poster/activity available from Nutrition Education Services/Oregon Dairy Council. Featuring 7 different "normal" teens, the poster back includes lesson plans and activities for kids ages 11-18. Find out more at http://www.oregondairycouncil.org. Life-sized revised food models available The National Dairy Council has revised their paper punch-out food models, which reflects actual-size portions and nutrition facts information on the back. To order, go to http://www.nutritionexplorations.org/catalog/elementary.asp or inquire at your local dairy council office.
The information contained in this newsletter is not intended as a substitute for medical and/or nutrition advice. See your physician and/or registered dietitian for individual health and/or dietary concerns.	©2006, by Connie Evers, All Rights Reserved. There is a modest reprint fee for reproducing the material in this newsletter in either print or electronic publications. Please send an email to reprint@nutritionforkids.com for details and rates. The FEEDING KIDS NEWSLETTER is published bimonthly by 24 CARROT PRESS . To subscribe, click here.

Fear of Fish? Guidelines for maximizing nutrition, minimizing risk

RECIPE: Navy Bean Chowder

News in Brief

Connie Evers, MS, RD, is the author of How to Teach Nutrition to Kids and additional resources located at http://nutritionforkids.com.

For an order form that you can print and mail or fax to us, click here.

To order online, please visit our secure shopping cart.

Did you know that Connie is a frequent and popular speaker at state and national conferences on child nutrition topics? Email her at connie@nutritionforkids.com to discuss.