When Christmas is just around the corner, many people are probably looking for a well-stocked Christmas table. Ham, potatoes, herring and Jansson’s temptation are just some of the classics that adorn Swedish Christmas tables every year.
Both young and old usually appreciate what is served, but the fact is that a group of individuals should be extra careful about what they put in their mouths and how much, namely those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Bingolotto’s sit-down night 2023: Time, artists and schedule
The Swedish Food Agency: You should avoid eating that at the Christmas table
According to The Swedish Food Agency If you carry a small knot in your stomach, you should pay extra attention to smoked or grilled fish, smoked or dried meat, cold mixes, pâtés and dessert cheeses. According to their recommendations, fish containing certain toxins should only be eaten up to two to three times a year, so if you have exceeded that, you should think again when you pick the Christmas food.
The Swedish Food Agency’s toxicologist and nutritionist Sabina Litens Karlsson explains that the reason for a limited quantity of certain fish is because of the need to protect the fetus and nursing children from the toxins dioxins and pcb.
– We have dietary advice regarding fish that may contain elevated levels of dioxins and PCBs. This mainly applies to fish from the Baltic Sea area such as sturgeon, she explains and adds:
– The toxins are stored in the body for a long time, which means that they can be transferred to the fetus and the nursing child because these substances can be transferred via the placenta and via the breast milk. Therefore, it is important to store as little as possible of the toxins in the body until pregnancy.
Christmas food has become so much more expensive – classic dishes top the list
The child may get hurt
If you eat certain fish too often where the levels of the toxins are high, it can result in damage to your child later in life.
– If a small fetus that is developing itself gets too much, it can contribute to disturbances in development. For example, this can lead to reduced sperm quality when they become adults, a hormonal impact and damage to tooth enamel.
However, Litens Karlsson emphasizes that fish is generally very healthy, but that it is instead a matter of variety, both in terms of the type of fish you eat and where it is fished from. The recommendations regarding fish containing dioxins and PCBs state that it should not be eaten more than two to three times a year, regardless of whether you are a child or an adult.