Sushi is known as one of the healthiest take away foods available.
It's quick, easy and nutritious.
But is it safe to eat during pregnancy?
I'll be back in the minute to tell you!
Hello!
This is a question that I'm often asked by my pregnant clients.
In short, the answer is generally 'no', but before you switch off...
I want you to understand why, as there are some exceptions to the rule, and you need
to hear these.
Firstly - the seaweed of a nori roll is rich in iodine, so is a very nutritious choice
for women during pregnancy.
Some women with thyroid issues may need to be careful of too much iodine.
Secondly - both rice and fish are very nutritious foods to eat during pregnancy.
The problem with sushi rolls or California rolls as they are also known, is that a) they
often use uncooked fish: which has a higher risk of listeria, and b) even if they are
made from cooked chicken or cooked prawns, they are often cooked, then cooled, which
also allows time for the listeria bacteria to grow.
So, 'what about vegetarian sushi rolls?'
I hear you thinking!
Well, even with vegetarian sushi rolls, the rice is usually cooked and cooled, and they
may have been stored for days and days - giving too much time for the listeria bacteria to
grow.
You see, refrigeration doesn't kill listeria, only heat - so that's why sushi tend to be
on the 'higher risk' list.
So, what's the exceptions to the rule?
Well, if you were to make them yourself, and eat them immediately, there would be no chance
for the listeria bacteria to grow.
Now, off the record... personally, if I felt confident that a restaurant practiced safe
hygiene standards, and I was absolutely sure that the sushi had been made fresh that day,
I'd personally feel okay with eating vegetarian sushi rolls, or sushi rolls with cooked meats.
Because, at the end of the day, I think we need to be practical..And we need to use some
common sense!
If you're overwhelmed with exhaustion, like many pregnant women I see, and haven't had
time to prepare some lunch, and your stuck with making a choice between
eating a bowl of chips for lunch, just because they're cooked and therefore listeria free,
or having nothing but a glass of water...I'd much rather you go for the sushi rolls.
Sure, they have a listeria risk, but what's the likelihood of you developing listeria
versus gestational diabetes????
Seriously.
What is it?
Well, in Australia, there's over 300,000 pregnancies per year, and there's around seven cases of
listeria during pregnancy.
That's a 0.00002% chance of developing a listeria infection.
Whereas, there's around 50,000 women who develop gestational diabetes during their
pregnancies!
Furthermore, over 50% of women, that's one in every two... will gain too much weight
during their pregnancy, which goes on to impact your baby's epigenetics.
So, my point is, yes, I'd prefer you to have something other than sushi for dinner.
I'd prefer that you took the time to cook some fish and have it with cooked rice and
steamed vegetables, but if it's a choice between sushi or KFC...well, use your common sense!
Now, if you're getting stuck in this situation more often than you'd like, or you'd just
like to join my mailing list for more pregnancy tips, what I would like you to do, is download
a copy of my pregnancy meal plan.
There's a link in the notes below.
As always, I'm here to answer any of your dietary questions, so please feel free to
post below.
I look forward to catching up with you next week on Nourish!