Doola
Download app now

Can I eat crab while breastfeeding?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Crab, including crab legs and white crab meat, shows Check in Doola Scan for breastfeeding in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, because it counts toward each country's fish advice. The FDA lists crab among its lower-mercury Best Choices, and the CDC's limit while breastfeeding is 2 to 3 servings of those a week. In the UK, the NHS adds that brown crab meat contains cadmium, with no limit for white meat. Imitation crab, made from surimi, shows No known issues.

Checked against Doola Scan's breastfeeding rules · Updated

  • Steamed or boiled crab and crab legs

    CheckIn all six countries

  • White crab meat, fresh or canned

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Brown crab meat

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Imitation crab and crab sticks

    No known issuesIn all six countries
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Crab while breastfeeding: what each country says.

Each country's own breastfeeding guidance on crab, with a link to it. Doola Scan uses your country's first.

  • Doola has no source from New Zealand on this yet; its answer comes from the other countries' guidance.

  • United States

    • Steamed or boiled crab and crab legsCheck
    • White crab meat, fresh or cannedCheck
    • Brown crab meatCheck
    • Imitation crab and crab sticksNo known issues
    • FDAFish is nutritious for baby's brain development; choosing lower-mercury fish limits mercury exposure.Source

  • United Kingdom

    • Steamed or boiled crab and crab legsCheck
    • White crab meat, fresh or cannedCheck
    • Brown crab meatCheck
    • Imitation crab and crab sticksNo known issues
    • NHSAim for at least 2 portions (about 140g each) of fish a week; no more than 2 portions of oily fish.Source
    • NHSBrown crab meat contains cadmium; no maximum amount given; no limit for white crab meat.Source

  • Canada

    • Steamed or boiled crab and crab legsCheck
    • White crab meat, fresh or cannedCheck
    • Brown crab meatCheck
    • Imitation crab and crab sticksNo known issues
    • Health CanadaEat a variety of fish; low-mercury fish listed with no weekly amount; limits only on predatory fish.Source

  • Australia

    • Steamed or boiled crab and crab legsCheck
    • White crab meat, fresh or cannedCheck
    • Brown crab meatCheck
    • Imitation crab and crab sticksNo known issues
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)2 to 3 serves (150 g each) a week of fish not on the higher-mercury list.Source

  • Ireland

    • Steamed or boiled crab and crab legsCheck
    • White crab meat, fresh or cannedCheck
    • Brown crab meatCheck
    • Imitation crab and crab sticksNo known issues
    • HSEBreastfeeding: no more than 2 portions of oily fish a week.Source
What to check

Before you eat crab.

  1. Count crab in your fish for the week

    The CDC's advice while breastfeeding is to limit fish from the FDA's Best Choices to 2 to 3 servings (8 to 12 ounces) a week, and crab is on that list. A serving is 4 ounces, measured before cooking. CDC

  2. Go easy on brown crab meat

    The NHS says brown crab meat contains cadmium, which can affect bones and kidneys if you have too much of it. It sets no maximum for white crab meat or other shellfish. NHS

  3. Cook crab until the flesh is firm and opaque

    The FDA says crab and lobster flesh should become firm, pearly and opaque, and that live crabs should show some leg movement when you buy them. Most seafood should reach 145°F inside. FDA

Questions

About crab
while breastfeeding.

Crab legs show Check for breastfeeding in all six countries, like other cooked crab. Count them in your fish for the week: the CDC's limit is 2 to 3 servings of Best Choices fish, 4 ounces each.

Imitation crab shows No known issues in Doola Scan for breastfeeding in all six countries. None of these countries' breastfeeding food guidance names it.

The NHS says shellfish are low in fat and a source of selenium, zinc, iodine and copper, and that crab contains some omega-3 fats. The FDA says iodine, zinc and omega-3 fats are particularly important while breastfeeding.

The FDA puts crab in its Best Choices, its lower-mercury group. The CDC says mercury can pass from mother to baby through breast milk and that lower-mercury fish are a good choice. Health Canada sets no weekly amount for low-mercury fish.

Crab, shrimp, crawfish and lobster all show Check for breastfeeding in all six countries, as Best Choices seafood. Each counts toward the CDC's 2 to 3 servings a week, or the NHS's at least 2 portions.

Kepiting yang dimasak menunjukkan Check di Doola Scan untuk ibu menyusui di enam negara, karena dihitung dalam jatah ikan mingguan. FDA memasukkan kepiting dalam kelompok ikan rendah merkuri.

El cangrejo cocido muestra Check en Doola Scan para la lactancia en los seis países, porque cuenta en el pescado de la semana. El cangrejo de imitación muestra No known issues.

Yes. Take a photo of the menu or the plate, and Doola Scan checks each item against your country's guidance for breastfeeding. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
Doola Scan

Not sure about a meal? Scan it.

Point Doola at a plate, a menu or a label. It checks every ingredient against your country's breastfeeding guidance and shows its sources. Food scans are free, 3 a day.

Download app now
More foods
Doola shows what official guidance says; it never diagnoses. No known issues means none of these countries' breastfeeding guidance names it, not a promise that a food is safe.