6 Food Lies Pregnant Women Are Told

In this post, we’ll explore the 7 most common foods pregnant women are advised to avoid due to food poisoning risks. We’ll provide scientific evidence to debunk 6 of these 7 myths and offer practical tips for managing the risk of illness during pregnancy.

Let’s jump right in!

Why We Forbid Pregnant Women From Eating Certain Foods

“Do Not Eat” lists existed all over the internet for pregnant women. Some of the foods on these lists come from old wives’ tales. For instance, in Chinese culture, it is believed that bananas can cause miscarriage and asthma, consuming lamb may lead to epilepsy in the baby, eating seafood could result in rashes and skin issues for the baby, and so forth. Unfortunately, debunking an old wives’ tale is challenging, as they lack a foundation in scientific reasoning.

On the other hand, in the US, certain foods like sushi and deli meats are prohibited for pregnant women based on “scientific” reasoning (i.e., the risk of contracting a foodborne illness). Acquiring a food-borne illness during pregnancy is a serious matter. Food poisoning can lead to severe consequences, such as miscarriage and stillbirth. Furthermore, a pregnant woman’s immune system is weaker (due to certain hormones that down-regulate the immune system), making food poisoning 20 times more common in pregnant women than in the general population. 

While it is true that pregnant women are more susceptible to getting sick, avoiding the foods on the “Do Not Eat” list may cause more harm than good. These foods are full of essential nutrients that both the mother and developing fetus need, and not consuming them can lead to nutrient deficiencies. One study conducted on 7,500 women in Australia found that pregnant women who limited Listeria-containing foods consumed fewer nutrients like folate, iron, vitamin E, and calcium. Nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy are proven to result in complications such as birth defects, preterm birth, low birth weight, and an increased risk for chronic diseases after birth. So, what is the right course of action? Should pregnant women avoid these foods at the cost of nutritional deficiencies, which can lead to poor pregnancy outcomes, or consume them at the risk of serious pregnancy complications?

The 7 Common Foods Pregnant Women Are Told To Avoid Due To Food Poisoning

The 7 most common foods pregnant women are advised to avoid due to the risk of food poisoning include:

1. Sushi: Raw fish may contain bacteria or parasites such as norovirus, Vibrio, Salmonella, and Listeria.
2. Runny yolks: Raw eggs can harbor Salmonella bacteria.
3. Undercooked steak: Undercooked or raw meat may contain bacteria or parasites like Toxoplasma, E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella.
4. Raw milk and cheese: Raw milk and other unpasteurized dairy products can carry bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter.
5. Deli meat: Hot dogs, pepperoni, and deli meat can be contaminated with bacteria during processing or storage. Cured meats are not cooked and may contain bacteria or parasites.
6. Soft cheeses: Some soft cheeses may be tainted with listeria.
7. Raw shellfish: Raw shellfish can contain bacteria and parasites.

If you’re a mom or an expectant mom, you’ve likely been avoiding these foods. However, I’m here to share some good news: Aside from raw shellfish, everything else on the list is safe to eat during pregnancy. In fact, I’d even argue that it’s BETTER to consume these foods rather than avoid them, as they provide essential nutrients your baby needs to thrive.

Why Pregnant Should Eat All of the Forbidden Food

Let’s examine each of the forbidden foods and evaluate the risks and benefits of consuming them.

Sushi

Firstly, seafood intended for human consumption undergoes microbial contamination screening, making it unlikely to find contaminated fish in a commercial market. Furthermore, sushi-grade fish is typically flash-frozen, effectively killing any parasites present. Lastly, if a pregnant woman becomes ill from infected fish, there has been no correlation found between the infection and an increased risk of birth defects or other adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Meanwhile, fish is rich in nutrients and healthy fats which are essential for fetal development, such as DHA, vitamin D, iodine, zinc, phosphorus, calcium, and selenium. That’s why in Japan, they recognize that the benefits of eating sushi far surpass the risks. Japanese women are encouraged to consume sushi for a healthy baby.

You might wonder why not just cook the fish instead of eating raw fish to minimize even the slightest risk of parasites. Well, it’s because certain types of fish, like salmon, have higher levels of bioavailable selenium when consumed raw. Moreover, iodine levels in raw fish are significantly higher than in cooked fish, as the cooking process reduces iodine levels by up to 58%.

Personally, I crave sushi during pregnancy. This is likely my body’s way of indicating that is needs the selenium and iodine found in raw fish.

Runny yolks

Eggs are part of a healthy diet for anyone, but especially pregnant women. The nutrients in eggs, particularly choline, are incredibly beneficial for fetal brain development. However, runny yolks are out of the question due to the risk of salmonella. Here’s the catch: the odds of contracting salmonella from an egg range from 1 in 12,000 to 1 in 30,000. This risk decreases by 7 times if you purchase eggs from an organic or pasture-raised farm with higher production standards.

Why not cook the eggs thoroughly to avoid any risk, you wonder? Well, while cooking the egg white increases the protein’s bioavailability, cooking the egg yolk has the opposite effect. This is because heat changes the nutrients in egg yolks, making them less digestible. Depending on the cooking method, it can destroy up to 61% of the nutrients. Moreover, cooking the egg yolk oxidizes the cholesterol, potentially increasing the risk of heart disease.

Considering this, why should we prevent pregnant mothers from getting all the nutrients from eggs by forbidding them to eat runny yolks? In my opinion, it seems like an unreasonable thing to do.

Undercooked steak

Steak is one of the most nutrient-dense foods available.The benefits of eating steak, even if undercooked, far outweigh the risks. Most of the bacteria in a steak accumulate on the surface, as steaks are too dense for bacteria to penetrate. Thus, consuming a medium-rare steak, where the exterior is cooked while the interior remains rare, is a safe choice. 

The exception here is ground beef. Once it’s ground up and the muscle fibers are broken, it becomes easier for bacteria to spread throughout the meat.

Raw milk and cheese

Raw milk is one of the most nutritious foods for women to consume during pregnancy. It’s an excellent source of calcium, iron, vitamins A, D, and K, phosphorus, zinc, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), omega-3 fatty acids, as well as numerous beneficial enzymes and probiotics. Pasteurization, however, eliminates many of these advantageous enzymes in milk. Moreover, it diminishes the nutrient content.

Disadvantages of pasteurization

• Reduces the bioavailability of calcium and phosphorus
• Reduces copper and iron
• Reduce Vitamins A, B Complex, C, and E
• Destroy beta-lactoglobulin, thereby decreasing intestinal absorption of Vitamins A and D
• Destroys probiotics
• Inactivates beneficial enzymes

But what about the risks of contaminated raw milk? Here’s the truth: Raw milk producers maintain exceptionally high sanitary standards and take great care to ensure the animals are healthy and the milk is clean. The milk is frequently tested for pathogens. In contrast, it is often the pasteurized milk manufacturers who have subpar standards, as they know their milk will undergo pasteurization anyway.

An independent study on raw milk revealed that between 2000-2007, there was a 1 in 94,000 chance of falling ill from consuming raw milk. During this period, there were 12 hospitalizations due to raw milk consumption, averaging 1.5 hospitalizations per year.

“With approximately 9.4 million people drinking raw milk, you have about a 1 in 6 million chance of being hospitalized from drinking raw milk.” – source

Plus, pasteurized milk isn’t entirely safe either. According to the CDC, there have been 82 deaths since 1972 due to pasteurized milk.

Personally, I find that drinking pasteurized milk feels like a letdown because I can taste the diminished nutrients in it. Raw milk and unpasteurized cheeses, on the other hand, has a rich and complex flavor due to its intact nutrients and enzymes. I wouldn’t want to miss out on those nutrients, especially while pregnant.

Deli meat

Many pregnant women I know will not touch deli meat because of the risk of listeria. Yet, on average, there is 1 case of listeria infection per 83,000 servings of deli meat. This is minuscule compared to the risk of getting sick from plant-based foods. According to CDC data, out of the 5 people infected with Listeria from 2009 to 2011, 4 of them were infected due to plant-based foods such as alfalfa sprouts, pistachios, and vegan protein powder. Furthermore, studies have shown that green leafy vegetables are responsible for more food-borne illnesses than any other food!

So, should we truly argue and fret over one case of listeria per 83,000 servings of deli meat? Deli meat is a great protein source for expectant mothers. If we advise them to avoid deli meat, they might opt for less healthy choices that seem “safer” (in theory) but are significantly less nutritious.

Soft cheeses

I avoided soft cheeses at all costs during my first pregnancy. Little did I know that there is 1 case of listeria infection for every 5 million servings of soft cheeses. Meanwhile, soft cheese is an excellent source of fat and protein. Are we genuinely protecting women by advising them to avoid soft cheeses? Or are we simply taking precautions to the extreme, potentially compromising the health of both the mother and unborn baby?

Raw shellfish

Raw shellfish is one exception to the rule, especially oysters. Oysters are responsible for 72% of seafood outbreaks in the US. Furthermore, the largest reported seafood-associated outbreak occurred in 1998 due to oysters, resulting in 416 illnesses across 13 states. Consequently, it is best for pregnant mothers to avoid oysters in order to stay safe.

Better Ways to Manage Risk

As demonstrated above, when we look at the statistics, the benefits of consuming these highly nutritious items outweigh the risks. Advising pregnant women to avoid sushi may result in them missing out on essential nutrients like selenium and iodine. Warning women against runny yolks could deter them from eating eggs altogether, which could negatively impact fetal development. Telling mothers to avoid raw milk causes them to miss out on valuable probiotics and nutrients unique to raw milk. You get the idea.

Instead of instructing pregnant mothers to steer clear of these nutritious foods, we can provide more practical and helpful tips to prevent illness. These include:

1) Food preparation tips

Improper food handling, including cross-contamination and incorrect food storage, is responsible for over half of food-borne illnesses. As a result, one of the most important steps a pregnant woman can take is to be extra cautious in the kitchen while cooking:

• Thoroughly wash hands when handling raw meat to prevent cross-contamination
• Avoid storing meat in the fridge for more than 3-4 days
• Defrost meat in the fridge rather than on the counter
• Steer clear of pre-cut vegetables and fruits as they have a higher risk of contamination
• Prepare meals at home as often as possible to ensure complete control over the environment

2) Pick reputable establishments

When you can’t cook at home or simply crave dining out, choose highly-rated restaurants known for their cleanliness. This might mean paying a bit more for quality, but it significantly reduces the risk of getting sick due to improper food handling or low-quality meat sources.

Furthermore, steer clear of gas station food, PARTICULARLY deli meat. It’s hard to tell how long it’s been sitting on the shelf.

Similarly, when purchasing eggs, meat, chicken, raw milk, or raw cheese, ensure you buy from a reputable farmer whom you trust to maintain high standards on their farm.

3) Choose low mercury fish

Some women avoid fish altogether due to concerns about mercury content. We’ve discussed the immense benefits of eating fish during pregnancy. However, it’s important to avoid fish with higher mercury levels (e.g., shark, swordfish, king mackerel, bigeye tuna, marlin, tilefish). Additionally, certain fish are safe to eat but should be limited to once per week (e.g., grouper, halibut, snapper, Chilean sea bass, yellowfin tuna, white tuna, etc.). The safest types of seafood to consume in abundance include wild salmon, cooked shrimp, cod, flounder, halibut, tilapia, crab, lobster, trout, cooked clams, black sea bass, and canned light tuna, among others. For a comprehensive list of safe vs. unsafe fish, read this.

4) Supporting your immune system

Pregnant women often have weaker immune systems, so it is a good idea to boost your immunity as much as possible. This way, even if you fall sick, your body will be more resilient and able to fight the infection. In her book “Real Food for Pregnancy“, Lily Nichols emphasizes some excellent methods to achieve this:

• Consume fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi daily. No probiotic supplement can match the natural sources of probiotics found in these foods.
• Consume foods high in probiotic fiber to nourish the probiotics in your gut. Opt for squashes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes.
• Consume foods rich in gelatin, such as slow-cooked roasts and bone broth. Gelatin is excellent for gut health as it helps maintain a healthy gut lining and reduces susceptibility to illness from food-borne pathogens.

Conclusion

In summary, forbidding pregnant moms from eating these foods prevents them from eating a balanced diet for a healthy pregnancy. When we examine the risks vs. benefits of these foods, it becomes evident that the advantages significantly outweigh the potential dangers. Rather than irrational fears, it is better to focus on proper food handling practices, choosing reputable establishments, selecting low-mercury fish, and supporting a robust immune system.