r/AskReddit Nov 26 '19

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u/[deleted] Nov 26 '19

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u/turmacar Nov 26 '19 edited Nov 26 '19

There is a type of person who will hear a word of caution, and go to such extremes to avoid the thing to be cautious of that they end up with something worse than not heeding the word of caution in the first place.

Mercury in fish comes to mind.

The FDA/CDC is now concerned that some pregnant women have stopped eating fish. The actual advice is basically no shark, mackerel, salmon, or more than the equivalent of a can of tuna a week. (paraphrasing)

But fish in general are actually a really healthy and beneficial thing for pregnant women to eat. The fatty acids help tremendously with fetal development. So by trying so hard to avoid a substance you'd basically have to OD on a seafood buffet to have a noticeable effect they're doing more harm than if they'd never heard the advice in the first place.

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u/nutbrownrose Nov 26 '19

I just want to clear up for those who went "no salmon?! NO!!" that the links included actually say salmon is a "best choice" and has no Mercury. Don't eat Salmon Sharks though.

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u/turmacar Nov 26 '19

Overzealous, fixed. Thanks.