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2nd Trimester
I <3 Sushi!!!!
So Ive been told and read that sushi is BAAAD to eat while pregnant.
*sniffle* but I loves sushi so much, and a California roll just isnt the same...
Is sushi REALLY that horrible to eat while pregnant? I mean, okay, its raw, there potential for bacteria in it that can make you and baby very sick... I get it..
But if you get sushi from a trusted source, are you not taking the same risk of getting food poisoning or other horribles from the Sushi restaurant the same as getting food poisoning from an undercooked burger from the Steakhouse??
I dont know. I need convincing in eighter direction...
~?~ Chellezy ~?~
This discussion has been closed.
Re: I &lt;3 Sushi!!!!
The mercury content of fish doesn't change based on whether it is cooked or not. Fish that eat other fish (shark, swordfish, etc.) will have higher mercury than smaller fish (tilapia, salmon.)
Sushi is raw fish so has a higher chance of carrying food borne illnesses like listeria. Lots of people eat sushi while pregnant, but I'm not one of them. I've also started having my steaks more cooked than I did before.
I think a lot of these things are personal choices that you have to make for yourself.
I still eat sushi. My OB just said to limit how much and how often and to make sure it's from a reputable place.There is a place by where I work that has a sushi lunch special. It's not enough to completely fill me up, but it does satisfy my craving.
I was told that even if you buy it from a reputable source and you get the cooked stuff there is still a chance (probably small) that it is contaminated or was in contact with a utensil or work area that had contact with raw fish prior to your order (possibly even from the employees hands).
My friend ate sushi several times during her pregnancy and all was fine. There are so many risks with so many things you'll have to decide if it's worth it to you or not.
I've always preferred the rolls with shrimp as well although before I got pregnant, I loved to try out some of the rolls that contained the raw rish.
Most of the PP covered it pretty well. Basically:
1) only eat the uncooked types of sushi from a trusted source. I've been going to the same place for years on a weekly basis. Never sick once. Never "fishy" smelling fish. Always high quality and fresh. I have stopped, for instance, picking up sushi in an airport in those pre-made packs. That's too risky IMO
2) Stay away from the big predators as much as possible. Tuna is my favorite but I've limited myself to one small serving every week or two. That includes canned, sushi, steak, or anything else. Mercury content is the fear.
3) I asked my OB on day one and he is completely comfortable with my eating sushi as long as I stick to the above 2 rules. He spent many years living in Europe and Japan where stigmas are different. You can get food poisoning from anything, including produce, other meats, eggs, etc etc.
4) And lastly, keep in mind that MUCH of the sushi in the US has been flash frozen which also kills bacteria as effectively as cooking.
There is risk with anything, but there is no need for irrational fear. If you make smart choices, your calculated risks will be minimal. Ultimately this will be your decision. Millions of women in Japan eat sushi often and they have very healthy babies. However there will always be that .0001% chance you get the bad piece of salmon and have complications. That doesn't make it any more likely than getting a batch of tomatoes with ecoli.
I've heard this too, but wouldn't there be the same concern about cross contamination with raw fish from ANY restaurant that serves fish, as they would still be handling raw fish before it's cooked? Or are they less careful about cross contamination in a sushi restaurant because the raw fish is better quality?
The concern with raw fish is parasites. But like others said, the flash freezing typically takes care of that. My doctor doesn't even want me eating the cooked stuff, but I still eat california rolls from my usual place and I ate them all during my last pregnancy too. I just don't tell her!
The thing about parasites is they can make YOU sick, but they're not going to make baby sick or cross the placenta. It would just suck if you got really ill from a parasite because it would make it indirectly harder on the baby.