this is a question from my "tell me what happened" post from yesterday that i just updated
Question, I am going to have sushi tomorrow, should I just eat very little or order something different? Any one ate any while pregnant and did you have any issues?? I have read that in small amounts its okay
I lived in Japan for several years, so I asked my Japanese friends about sushi and pregnancy. Believe it or not, they all recommended I avoid raw fish while pregnant (and also green tea - ouch!). It was really hard for me, because I LOVE sushi (and most Japanese food - that's mostly what we eat in my house), but I gave up the raw stuff. Probably nothing would have happened, but I wasn't willing to risk it.
I did eat sushi when pregnant. I also ate tuna and drank caffeinated drinks...and all those other things I was told by "What to Expect When you are Expecting" not to do (minus the drug use, smoking, drinking sort of stuff). Moderation is the key. All is fine...my kids are hellions, but I am 99% sure that is genetics and bad parenting :).
You do what you are comfortable with. If you are going to spend the rest of your pregnancy wondering, and playing the "what if" game...avoid stuff that is questionable just for peace of mind.
If you are the laid back ignoramus I am, just realize you are going to be fine...and people have knowingly and unknowingly done all those "pregnancy no nos" a million times over since the beginning of time, and their babies were fine.
I cannot count the number of women I know who ate sushi while pregnant. (Not one of those women's pregnancy was affected negatively by the consumption of raw fish.) I did not eat sushi while pregnant because, to my great dismay, the taste of fish/shell fish made me sick. I couldn't even be in the same room as cooking fish (fairly obnoxious as my SO is in the shellfish industry).
The concern, with sushi, is that it might carry food borne illness such as salmonella or ecoli. The risk is higher in foods that have not been cooked. Of course, other foods can also be contaminated. I remember there was an outbreak recently on spinach. Weigh the risks and benefits and feel it out for yourself. It's a personal decision.
I would suggest you are picky about where you get your sushi from and make sure their ingredients are fresh (which also will determine how good it tastes ;). Also, if you decide you're not comfortable with it, consider that there are many types of sushi that are cooked, unagi, for example.
As L. as you stick to the cooked fish and your not eating it all day every day, you and the baby will be fine. The major concerns are the raw foods and the mercury levels.
I ate sushi at least once a week while preggers.
My mum ate sushi every day while pregnant with my sister. As did and do the millions of other women living in Japan.
Stick with cooked fish, for now.
Just to be on the safe side.
Unless you know the management and philosophy
of the restaurant where you will be eating . . .
and you're sure they get only the best, freshest, etc.
Just make sure you have rolls in which everything is cooked. California rolls will work. And any with tempura fried seafood in them are safe. i love sushi and craved it when pregnant, so this is what i did. Also, summer or spring rolls should be safe - and the peanut dipping sauce that comes with the summer rolls at Blue Fish is AWESOME!!
Most Japanese restaurants have sushi and sashimi (sp?) menus, I think you are safe if you stick with mainstream sushi (cali rolls) because that is mostly rice and veggies anyway. The sashimi menu is where most of the raw fish is, so avoid those options. Your server will be able to help you make good choices, and there will definitely be something on the menu that you will enoy with a clear conscience!!
No raw meat while pregnant. It is better to be safe than sorry later.
Just to be safe. I wouldn't eat sushi while pregnant.
I did eat sushi (in moderation) during my pregnancy. I did avoid the fish higher in mercury and stuck more with the white fish. I also am very confident the sushi restaurant that I frequent uses high quality fish and do all in their power to ensure the fish stays at the required temp while in storage. I think it all depends on you. I definitely had many people (and books) telling me I shouldn't eat this during pregnancy, but I felt very comfortable taking this very small risk. Also, it was a good way to make sure I got a healthy dose of Omega 3.
That was the one thing that was hard for me while I was pregnant: giving up sushi. What I did was stick with the veggie rolls. A lot safer that way.
If it's a nice place you are likely to be ok. If it's one of those places with the rotating sushi order something else.
