Can I eat sushi while pregnant? Safe options & what to avoid
Here's why you should avoid certain types of sushi during pregnancy, and how you can enjoy sushi safely if you don't want to put down the chopsticks.
Wine, some types of cheese, too much coffee — you have to avoid quite a few foods in pregnancy that you wouldn’t think twice about eating normally. But does sushi need to be one of them?
To help you make informed and safe choices, MadeForMums spoke to Dr Philippa Kaye, a London-based GP who specialises in paediatrics and gynaecology, about her advice on how to eat sushi safely while pregnant.
Can you eat sushi when pregnant?
You can eat certain types of sushi while pregnant, but not sushi that contains raw fish.
“It is currently recommended that you don’t eat sushi with raw fish throughout pregnancy, no matter what trimester you are in,” says Dr Philippa, "even if the fish has previously been frozen."
You should also avoid eating cured or cold smoked fish such as smoked salmon or gravadlax during pregnancy, unless it is cooked and served piping hot.
But not all sushi contains raw or smoked fish and these types are fine to eat, such as California rolls with crab sticks or vegetable maki rolls.
Risks of eating raw sushi during pregnancy
Pregnant women should avoid eating raw fish and shellfish. "This is because they can contain bacteria and viruses which can lead to food poisoning," says Dr Philippa.
Smoked and cured fish aren’t safe either, because they can be contaminated with a bacteria called listeria. Listeria can cause listeriosis, an infection that can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth in pregnancy and make newborns seriously ill, according to the NHS.
Eating raw fish also increases the baby’s exposure to mercury, which can be harmful in high amounts (more on this below).
If you eat raw fish while pregnant, Dr Philippa recommends seeking medical advice – especially if you become unwell.
Safe sushi options for expecting mothers
Even though you have to avoid raw fish, you can still enjoy some sushi while pregnant.
Veggie sushi that contains vegetables, like avocado or cucumber, or vegetable proteins, like tofu or tempeh, is still on the table.
"You can eat fish sushi if the fish has been cooked through,” says Dr Philippa. This includes cured or cold-smoked fish.
You can be sure that fish is properly cooked if its internal temperature has reached 63°C, or if the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork, according to the US’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"As for the rice, as usual it is important to follow the food hygiene rules about storing any leftover rice." says Dr Philippa.
Rice should ideally be eaten on the day it’s cooked. If you want to save cooled rice (like in sushi) for later, don’t leave it standing around at room temperature — refrigerate it as soon as possible. Use an airtight container that fully covers the rice, and make sure to eat your leftovers within 24 hours
Mercury in fish: What pregnant women need to know
Most fish contain some mercury, because it collects in their bodies when they’re alive. It’s a heavy metal, and can be toxic to humans’ nervous systems, immune systems, and kidneys when we’re exposed to too much of it.
This is called mercury poisoning and it’s harmful to everyone — but especially developing foetuses and babies.
Mercury can pass through the placenta to a foetus, which can affect the development of the brain and nervous system. And once baby is born, mercury can pass through a mum’s breastmilk after she eats fish.
Mercury exposure can lead to birth defects, lower levels of intelligence, and problems with memory, cognition, and motor skills, according to the CDC.
But fish can still be part of a healthy pregnancy diet, since oily fish is a source of Omega-3 fatty acids and shellfish are a source of selenium and zinc, according to the NHS. So don’t feel you have to give up fish completely during pregnancy — just make sure to stick to the recommended amounts.
“Some fish contains higher levels of mercury than others,” says Dr Philippa. “You should limit the amount of tuna you eat to no more than 4 medium cans of tuna fish or 2 fresh tuna steaks per week.”
“You should avoid all forms of shark, marlin and swordfish as they contain higher levels of mercury,” she adds.
The NHS recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women eat no more than two portions of oily fish a week (that’s things like salmon, mackerel, and sardines). This is because oily fish contain pollutants other than mercury which can also be harmful for an unborn baby.