To sushi or not to sushi, that is the question

Randa&Jerm

A new Sushi place has just opened up across the street from where I work.  The restaurant has seen a bit of turn-over with different places coming and going for the past 8 years.   I never had this problem with my past 2 pregnancies since i didn't even like sushi then.  Now I LOVE it!

Now the question is, do I give this new place a try?  How do I know if the ingredients they are using are of good quality?  Even with other reputable places, how do I know?  If all else fails I suppose I can stick with a cali roll or something, but man, I really would love a spicy tuna right about now...well maybe at lunch time since its only 9am...

What would you do?  And how do you know if a place is good to eat at if you are willing to take the risk?

gnomemom

My OB told me to stay away from sushi altogether. However, I still get vegetarian rolls from a reputable restaurant that I frequented dozens of times pre-pregnancy and never got sick.

I would avoid spicy tuna rolls. They're my favorite, too, but raw tuna is on my "do not eat EVER" during pregnancy list due to the high mercury content.

I would be hesitant to go to a sushi restaurant that just opened. If there's a place you always go to and know that it's clean and you never get sick, that is much better than trying a completely unknown place.

And remember, even vegetarian sushi rolls are prepared on the same surface as non-vegetarian ones, so if lysteria is present, you aren't safe just because you went veggie.

Mrs.DeliaMarieP

I would not eat anything raw while pregnant, especially not from a place that has no reputation yet, but even then I wouldn't risk it.  I would stick to california rolls or any of the other cooked versions.

weaslewam

Is it really worth the risk? I personally wouldn't... but that's just me.

Randa&Jerm

Whaa!  You gals are so sensible and are squashing my hopes of sushi for lunch.  Why is it that when you can't have something you want it that much more?! Stupid cravings. 

Going to pout now. ;o)

StaceySMC13

I've been eating it 1-2 times a week but I only get it from places I've had before.  I stick to shrimp or salmon rolls and I'm really missing my tuna but because of mercury, I won't eat it.  My theory is that pregnant women in Japan don't lay off sushi so I should have to.  If I wasn't already a sushi fan, I wouldn't try it now and I also wouldn't go to a new restaurant.  Why not skip it today and have it from a place you frequent another time this week?  Then you get your craving satisfied but you won't risk the chance of bad fish... 

momsarah24

I would not risk it. I don't eat raw food myself! 

Randa&Jerm

Not to mention I totally forgot about the mercury in Tuna.

 

CTA7

My doctor doesn't have a problem with sushi, as long as the restaurant is reputable.  That said, with my first pregnancy I avoided it at home (Chicago) and only had some when we were in vacation on the West Coast where it was fresh.  Not sure what I'll do this time around -- I love it, especially in the summer!

married2m

When I was pregnant with DS1 I would eat California rolls and vegetable rolls from a reputable restuarant. I let them I know I was pregnant, and they had no problem preparing my rolls on a clean plate to prevent contamination. 

SummerOH

MandJS:

Personally, I'll eat sushi - yes even RAW sushi - while pregnant. I avoid eating more than 1-2 pieces of tuna due to mercury issues, but I'm all over some of the other fish. HOWEVER. I only eat at places I've eaten at before, that I know is reputable, and that I've never had an issue with. I probably would not go to a new place.

This.  Like another PP said, it's not like Japanese women haven't had healthy babies for aeons.  I wouldn't risk a new sushi spot until it has been reviewed a few times, though - pregnant or not.

Sticky41284

Piece of advice my OB gave me: If sushi was really that bad for the unborn, how the heck do Japanese people keep giving birth to healthy babies?

Deaners82

I wouldn't venture to try somewhere new. If you feel like you MUST have it, I would go somewhere you absolutely trust and stay clear of tuna.

tinyhumantoe

I accidentally stumbled over here from 2nd tri, but I too LOVEEEE sushi. 

I found that tempura (cooked) rolls without raw fish hit the spot for me (mostly shrimp & crab stuff).  My doc said no to raw fish but ok to an occasional Jimmy Johns indulgence (lunch meat). 

Also most of my to-die-for cravings went away in 2nd tri.  Just try to get through the first and you wont' feel like you're in a sushi-or-die craving fit.  Good luck!

 Edit to add:  I did have a piece of dh's salmon roll last week.  Gasp!  We're all still alive.  But there are 3 sushi restaurants I wouldn't eat anything from.... this one I trust and have gone to for 8 years.

Buttercup619

Don't get me wrong, I love me some spicy tuna rolls!  That said, I'm just going to miss them for my pregnancy.  Even if the place is reputable, the amount of mercury in them is still not a risk I'm willing to take.

alice2Bcheshire

I love raw sushi, and I still eat it when I'm PG. Tuna is fine in moderation-- the risk is from mercury accumulation. If you weren't eating a high mercury diet before you got KU, you're probably fine to have tuna every now and then.

That being said, I would not eat sushi from somewhere new to me, much less a brand new restaurant. And I definitely would not eat spicy tuna rolls from ANYWHERE right now-- over 200 cases of salmonella poisoning from spicy tuna (the "Nakaochi scrape") have been reported across the country in the last month.

monkeymommie

I didn't in my first pregnancy, but I did occasionally in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of my second pregnancy.  The amount of tuna in a piece of sushi is really small so I wasn't too worried about the mercury.   I was more concerned with freshness, so I only ate what my husband rolled himself and he only got the freshest sushi grade tuna from the fish market (they call us when they get some in).  He also knows tons about fish so can tell himself if it is fresh too.  

If I didn't have that I don't know for sure what I would do...but I might feel safe if I had been there before and it was very reputable. 

And yes, you and I both probably shouldn't...we all have our vices though.  But if it did cause a problem...

mlchill

Randa&Jerm:

A new Sushi place has just opened up across the street from where I work.  The restaurant has seen a bit of turn-over with different places coming and going for the past 8 years.   I never had this problem with my past 2 pregnancies since i didn't even like sushi then.  Now I LOVE it!

Now the question is, do I give this new place a try?  How do I know if the ingredients they are using are of good quality?  Even with other reputable places, how do I know?  If all else fails I suppose I can stick with a cali roll or something, but man, I really would love a spicy tuna right about now...well maybe at lunch time since its only 9am...

What would you do?  And how do you know if a place is good to eat at if you are willing to take the risk?

Same here.

My midwife told me that you need to do things in moderation. Obviously it might not be in your favor to do tons of raw tuna but a cooked roll or foods that are vegetarian aren't a problem. It's also good to note that if the salmon is fresh and you're a fan (it's my second favorite behind the mercury bomb known as tuna), go for that, raw or cooked. It's mercury content is among the lowest. I know it's past your lunch time now but this site helps decipher what is a go/no-go in the fish department.

From one sushi lover to another, gl. It's def my favorite food "genre."

DelBride2012

My OB said to stay away, but my primary care doc said it's my judgment call and that she herself ate sushi all through her pregnancy. But only from places she had eaten pre-pregnancy. The concerns about bacteria in sushi are a little hysterical. I would just wait for them to get a bit of a reputation. 

And the mercury in tuna thing really should not bother you at all. A roll has 1-2 raw ounces, which is going to come out to less than the cooked equivalent. As long as you aren't eating more than a couple rolls a week, there is really nothing to worry about in terms of mercury content. 

Pamela05

I wouldn't try out a new place while pregnant. I do eat raw, but I only from places That I have experienced a history of good fish. 

leiainoz

MandJS:

Personally, I'll eat sushi - yes even RAW sushi - while pregnant. I avoid eating more than 1-2 pieces of tuna due to mercury issues, but I'm all over some of the other fish. HOWEVER. I only eat at places I've eaten at before, that I know is reputable, and that I've never had an issue with. I probably would not go to a new place.

This exactly. Plus, I have a really hard time believing a little good sushi from a trusted restaurant is worse for me and my baby than the crap they serve at Mickey D's and other fast food places. I wouldn't go anywhere new, and I eat it rarely (like 1x/month usually) but I still love me some sushi...even raw. 

WaitingOnTwoPinkLines

MandJS:

Personally, I'll eat sushi - yes even RAW sushi - while pregnant. I avoid eating more than 1-2 pieces of tuna due to mercury issues, but I'm all over some of the other fish. HOWEVER. I only eat at places I've eaten at before, that I know is reputable, and that I've never had an issue with. I probably would not go to a new place.

Exactly this, except I don't eat raw because I don't really like it. It has nothing to do with "ZOMG, listeria!" 

Mmmm, sushi. 

dpraseutsinh

just ask your obgyn because every doctor has different views. my doc told me cooked sushi is fine, i get sushi all the time and my baby's doing just fine. i always get california or shrimp tempura rolls with NO fish eggs, i stay away from everything raw! and i always tell the sushi guy to make my sushi on a separate cutting board. i may sound annoying, but i like to make sure baby is okay ;p