Accidently consumed raw honey

lynnz52

I didn't realize Sprecher Rootbeer had honey in it. Not only does it have honey, but the honey is raw. I'm paranoid now, since I've been drinking about one a day for the past 3 weeks (I am 24 weeks along). I haven't been sick at all, but I don't think there is anything I can do about it now, just be more careful about my labels in the future. Anyone able to offer reassurance?

jennjilljo

If you were going to get sick it would have happened by now so I think you're fine. I got this of the NIH website:

"it is unlikely to cross the placenta via passive diffusion. A case report in which a woman acquired botulism during pregnancy suggested that there is no increased risk to the fetus. Together with the low risk of colonization botulism among healthy adults, women without gastrointestinal pathology do not need to avoid honey during pregnancy."

I snipped out the first sentence because I doubt you care about the molecular weight of botulism.

Eta: since you don't have botulism, it doesn't need to be a concern for you. This just days baby most likely will not get it if you do.

jennjilljo

Here's the link https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2860824/

Izzy0927

Since you are an adult human and not a newborn baby (I'm assuming based on your grasp of basic English and the manual dexterity it took to type that), you're good. Based on a quick google of Sprecher Rootbeer, it looks like it's pasteurized, so the raw part doesn't really matter. Enjoy all the rootbeer you like.

ETA: (unless the label says somethign different about pasteurization). Also, I'm doubtful that there's even that much honey in one bottle of soda, so the amount of potential bacteria would be TINY. Either way, I'm still thinking you're fine and you can keep consuming the root beer.

StephanieLBerg

Izzy0927 said:

Since you are an adult human and not a newborn baby (I'm assuming based on your grasp of basic English and the manual dexterity it took to type that), you're good. Based on a quick google of Sprecher Rootbeer, it looks like it's pasteurized, so the raw part doesn't really matter. Enjoy all the rootbeer you like.

ETA: (unless the label says somethign different about pasteurization). Also, I'm doubtful that there's even that much honey in one bottle of soda, so the amount of potential bacteria would be TINY. Either way, I'm still thinking you're fine and you can keep consuming the root beer.

I think she about covered it. I just wanted to say thanks for making me crave rootbeer now after reading this. YOU DID THIS TO ME!

Jensoprano82

@jennjilljoite said it way better than I could but I'm pretty sure the only real danger of unpasteurized cheeses and honey (and raw sushi and rare beef) is that when you are pregnant you are more susceptible to foodborne illness. So if you haven't gotten sick, you're fine. If it makes you feel better to steer clear from now on, great. But I don't think there's any damage done.

Ducktale

I purposely consume raw honey all the time. This is the first time I've heard I wasn't supposed to.

Oh well.

lynnz52

Thank you, this does offer a lot of reassurance. I couldn't find anything online that says Sprecher honey is pasteurized. I like many other kinds of root beer, so I'll probably just switch. Probably not great to drink too much anyway, so much sugar.

misshart00

I didn't know you shouldn't have honey while pregnant.

Dannylion24

I only thought you weren't supposed to give honey to actual infants.

natsgirl12

I consume raw, unpasteurized honey on an almost daily basis. Do some research. Everything I found said it was fine.

jennjilljo

I think honey is one of the items that just recently moved off the "do not eat" list to the "eat with caution" list because there are a lot of professionals who still recommend against it.

Alygohome

I eat it allll the time I didn't even think that you couldn't. I usually eat it on my raw fish wrapped in lunch meat but I'm a rebel like that.

MrsTucker2011

krendel1990 said:

Alygohome said:

I eat it allll the time I didn't even think that you couldn't. I usually eat it on my raw fish wrapped in lunch meat but I'm a rebel like that.

Have you tried it with feta?

Only fingernail sizes...

Sahara6971

I drink Sprecher root beer all of the time. Oh, and I eat lots of feta too. Like every day.

Izzy0927

I eat raw prepackaged cookie dough. I just felt like this was a safe space to admit food sins. I bought these today and I was like, bitch, you don't know my life.

Jensoprano82

krendel1990 said:

I eat it allll the time I didn't even think that you couldn't. I usually eat it on my raw fish wrapped in lunch meat but I'm a rebel like that.

Have you tried it with feta?

Or goat cheese??? ::::Drool::::

Neesey

I also have raw honey in my tea almost every day.  Not worried about it at all and will continue to enjoy it.  Supposedly it helps with kidney stones and I can use all the help I can get!

lynnz52

natsgirl12 said:

I consume raw, unpasteurized honey on an almost daily basis. Do some research. Everything I found said it was fine.

This is from the Mayo Clinic, the number one hospital in Minnesota, and one of the most advanced in the nation.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/honey/safety/hrb-20059618

"Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

There is a lack of scientific evidence on the use of honey during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Honey may contain contaminants that may be harmful to pregnant or breastfeeding women, or to unborn babies."

I don't believe that this means if you eat it, you are automatically doing harm. It's just one of those safe than sorry things.

Thank you for the laugh about the honey on raw fish, deli meat, and feta...... while sitting in a hot bath and getting your nails done.

Jensoprano82

I feel like I should clarify by the way that I really don't have a single food I avoid, other than alcohol, and I think that every OBGYN is different on this. I eat honey too and I'm not sure if it's raw or not, but I buy from a good grocery store and store it and serve it properly and within its expiration period.

Izzy0927

@Jensoprano82‌ I keep reading your name as JesseSpano and I get SO EXCITED. IM SO EXCITED. But it's not.

Jensoprano82

@izzy0927 - Oooh! That would be SUCH a better screen name!!! If I had known I'd be so active on this site I would have tried for a hipper sassier name... oh well : )

Izzy0927

@Jensoprano82‌ it's a good thing your avatar is a dog wearing sunglasses, because that makes up for it.

Ducktale

No baths or getting your nails done? Boy I suck at this pregnant thing.

Alygohome

Ducktale said:

No baths or getting your nails done? Boy I suck at this pregnant thing.

Me too I'm sitting in the bath right now. I'm pretty sure I got a list of what I couldn't eat or do when I first saw my doctor but I must have left it in my car or something. I figure as long as I'm not doing jagger bombs or smoking crack I'm doing a'ok.

lizzybean

Alygohome said:

No baths or getting your nails done? Boy I suck at this pregnant thing.

Me too I'm sitting in the bath right now. I'm pretty sure I got a list of what I couldn't eat or do when I first saw my doctor but I must have left it in my car or something. I figure as long as I'm not doing jagger bombs or smoking crack I'm doing a'ok.

Oh shit, is crack a no-no? That wasn't on the list from my doc!!!!

Alygohome

lizzybean said:

Alygohome said:

Ducktale said:

No baths or getting your nails done? Boy I suck at this pregnant thing.

Me too I'm sitting in the bath right now. I'm pretty sure I got a list of what I couldn't eat or do when I first saw my doctor but I must have left it in my car or something. I figure as long as I'm not doing jagger bombs or smoking crack I'm doing a'ok.

Oh shit, is crack a no-no? That wasn't on the list from my doc!!!!

Yeah and I guess you shouldn't jump on trampolines either.

StephanieLBerg

Ive done a few things I'm not supposed to be doing because of the baby, like doing my own acrylic nails, taking super hot showers (because my OCD breaks if I don't), drinking Passion Tea Lemonades (apparently the Hibiscus in the passion tea is bad for you), switched from a prenatal vitamin to normal vitamins because the prenatals were making me sick, taking a whole unisom at night instead of half of one because half does nothing, washing with a fragrant body wash, eating raw cookie dough....the list goes on, but like @Alygohome said, as long as I am not doing body shots of tequila or doing meth, I'd say I'm fine

lynnz52

It was a joke, holy crap. Superior really? I took a bath tonight! But yea.. I've been told no baths over 98 degrees, along with no hot tubs. And certain finger nail polishes have some chemical that's not good. And you can't dye your hair. And you can't go down waterslides, or go in haunted houses.

Another forum I was reading ripped a woman a new one for even asking about N/A beer. I was joking around with my husband about how I read in a blog that you shouldn't drink root beer because it has the word "beer" in it, and you don't want to take any chances!

The reason I asked about the honey, is it is difficult to tell what is really harmful and what is just overkill. I mean they tell us in the U.S. no sushi, but I've read it is apart of Japanese culture, and pregnant women commonly eat it there.

MapleMomma

My BIL is a beekeeper so we eat raw honey all the time. Had no idea it could even be bad. I'll continue to eat it.

But I also take baths, eat lunch meat, helped move cows, done the zip line (we have a huge one installed at my ILs, y'all be jealous we're kinda like duck dynasty), had my fair share of caffeine, eaten feta cheese, painted the nursery, stained furniture...

You name it. I still don't think I'm a bad mom. I just think I'm reasonable about what I avoid. Like meth, crack, smoking, etc. Ps. I'm going to vaccinate my child.

crystalw88

Alygohome said:

I eat it allll the time I didn't even think that you couldn't. I usually eat it on my raw fish wrapped in lunch meat but I'm a rebel like that.

Confession: I eat lunch meat sandwiches all the time... :-/

lynnz52

Honestly, I mean I just want to try to do the best I can for my baby. It's my first, so whatever I can do I will do. If that means not eating honey or lunch meat, fine whatever I can do that. I think that doctors have to error on the side of caution.

But it seems silly for me to get upset about something that cleary many women do and it has no effects. So I just wanted to hear from everyone that I would be fine, which I have now.

I imagine that one of the biggest risks a mother and her baby take is getting in the car and driving to work everyday, but it's not like you can go ahead and not do that for the rest of your life.

sincerelyapril

This thread made me feel so much better. I was talking to my mom the other day and said "I'm not supposed to eat soft cheeses... but what kind of life is that??" And then we laughed and enjoyed a delicious Cowgirl Creamery cheese plate together.

Smyers2girls

Third time mama here who eats lunch meat, queso dip, paints her nails and dyed my hair all three times. My babies are just fine.

Izzy0927

If you're evaluating risk during your pregnancy, I found this to be a really interesting article (excerpt from Expecting Better by Emily Oster).
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/08/thinking-about-pregnancy-like-an-economist/278874/

nhamic

I've recently just taken to reading research articles in medical journals etc if things really bother me. So far, many of the nono's have actually been proved to be more safe than eating chicken (and no one is telling us not to do that). For me it's about the statistics, is it a cultural bias, what is the occurrence rate, etc. So for now I absorb the judgy looks I get when I go for sushi (twice now) or take a sip from my husbands beer when we go out, don't ask for them the leave the feta off my salad (most feta cheeses here have been pasteurized anyway), and have no intention of getting rid of my cats. Oh, and I use raw honey in my tea frequently. And eat my yolks a bit runny. The eggs come out of my backyard coop.

natsgirl12

lynnz52 said:

natsgirl12 said:

I consume raw, unpasteurized honey on an almost daily basis. Do some research. Everything I found said it was fine.

This is from the Mayo Clinic, the number one hospital in Minnesota, and one of the most advanced in the nation.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/honey/safety/hrb-20059618

"Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

There is a lack of scientific evidence on the use of honey during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Honey may contain contaminants that may be harmful to pregnant or breastfeeding women, or to unborn babies."

I don't believe that this means if you eat it, you are automatically doing harm. It's just one of those safe than sorry things.

Thank you for the laugh about the honey on raw fish, deli meat, and feta...... while sitting in a hot bath and getting your nails done.

I prefer to trust research performed by the National Institutes of Health:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2860824/

misshart00

This makes me so thankful for my doctor. Everything I've asked about that's not food related (hair color, nail polish, etc.), she has told me "as long as you don't drink it."

Alygohome

I work with a girl who critiques everything I eat while pregnant. Oh that delicious Italian bmt from subway? that's terrible you might die, eating salmon sandwich? OMG the mercury! getting vaccines? Poisoning your child!. Yet she eats processed fast food and junk like..every single day. I don't think this girl even knows what a vegetable is.

Ceefome

FTR, no honey is pasteurized. It's filtered, but not heated. Raw honey is just not filtered. And really, there is no standardization on what raw honey legally is.

lynnz52

The only thing my Midwife made me promise not to do was to go on forums or believe anything I read on the internet.

It's just nice for the discussions and support sometimes. 

I had a SCH early in pregnancy and it scared the crap out of me because I had no idea what was going on, I thought it was a miscarriage. The doctors didn't give me a lot of information, so I'm grateful for the forums. Although, you do have to use your best judgement.