Current guidelines suggest that pregnant women can safely eat three servings a week (up to 12 ounces total) of shrimp, salmon, catfish and other fatty fish. It's even safe for most pregnant women to eat sushi in the U.S. UU. However, that doesn't mean that all the sushi is off the table.
Adding certain fish to your pregnancy diet is actually very healthy, thanks to all those omega-3 fatty acids, as long as the seafood is cooked, Wood says. In fact, the FDA encourages expectant mothers to eat two to three servings of low-mercury fish each week. So, those cooked sushi rolls, like tempura? Perfect for eating during pregnancy, as long as the fish is low in mercury and has been heated to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Sure, some people love to eat sushi every day, but it's really not recommended for anyone due to high mercury levels, Dr.
Hunnes says you shouldn't eat it more than once a week if you can help it, whether you're pregnant or not. The only sushi that is safe to eat during pregnancy is sushi that doesn't contain raw or smoked seafood. This includes sushi with cooked fish and vegetarian or vegan options. You should also consume a total of eight to 12 ounces of low-mercury fish or shellfish per week during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and if you plan to conceive within the next year.
Yes, but stay away from sushi made with raw fish. During pregnancy, it is recommended that you only eat fish and seafood that has been cooked at 145 degrees F. Cooking fish at this temperature destroys any potentially harmful parasites and pathogens (other disease-causing organisms, such as bacteria and viruses). Eating sushi and raw fish is part of a healthy diet during pregnancy, as long as you eat fish with safe mercury levels.
There is no scientific evidence that eating sushi during pregnancy increases pregnancy complications. To help prevent listeriosis, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant women avoid eating sushi made with raw fish, among other foods such as hot dogs, cold cuts, and unpasteurized milk. Japanese tradition says that postpartum women get certain types of sushi in the hospital during their recovery. When people say that pregnant women should not eat sushi during pregnancy, they generally refer to sushi that contains raw fish.
Freezing and cooking kills most parasites, and many, if not most, Japanese restaurants in the United States that specialize in sushi use frozen fish instead of fresh fish. Sushi is one of the classics banned during pregnancy, but many people wonder if it is really justified to ban this popular dish, especially since fish has many benefits for your baby's development. In addition to concerns about bacteria and parasites, some types of fish used in sushi, such as bigeye and yellowfin tuna, swordfish and marlin, contain high levels of mercury, a toxic metal that can cause serious birth defects, such as brain damage, blindness and deafness. In Japan, sushi is considered very healthy during pregnancy and there are many who believe that the American ban on sushi during pregnancy is an insult to Japanese culture.
However, in the United States, pregnant women are scared of sushi by telling them that raw fish can contain harmful bacteria and parasites. Rest assured that, in general, very few people in the United States get sick from eating sushi, and most infections are caused by fish eaten at home, not from restaurants. In general, people rarely get sick from eating sushi, but raw seafood is potentially risky because it can contain parasites such as tapeworm. Eating sushi while pregnant can carry some risks, but thankfully, you can avoid them altogether if you make safe choices.
Raw fish, including sushi and sashimi, are more likely to contain parasites or bacteria than fully cooked fish. And no matter how delicious and beneficial the fish is, you can't eat sushi with fish at every meal because of mercury contamination. Always contact a healthcare provider or midwife if you have any questions or concerns about eating sushi during pregnancy. The question of whether eating sushi during pregnancy is safe has raised mixed opinions in the past, and some believe that consuming raw fish from reputable establishments is low-risk.
In Japan, pregnant women generally don't stop eating sushi when they become pregnant, and many Japanese books about pregnancy suggest eating sushi as part of a healthy, low-fat diet during pregnancy. . .
