Hi girls. I just wanted to know what U think about eating sushi while pregnant. I will be 15 weeks on Monday and I am just craving the stuff. Now im not talking about raw fish sushi, oh no. I'm on about vegetarian sushi. Before coming pregnant I used to have it probably 3 times a week. What do U all think to it. Xx
your views on sushi
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Chezza
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I actually looked into this a little while ago, as unfortunately I am craving sushi too - but not the veggie sort - I really, really, really want a huge plate of raw fish sushi, with ginger, wasabi...the works!
Now, the type of sushi you are craving is actually safe to eat - anything veggie / or cooked is absolutely fine...and according to the NHS website, eating some raw sushi is also ok - as long as the fish has been frozen in transit to the restaurant. So mini sushi packs that you buy in the supermarket would not be safe...but if the restaurant you are going to keeps the sushi frozen for at least 24 hours at minus 20 degrees, this will apparently kill the harmful bacteria.
However...if you cannot have a 100% guarantee that the above has taken place, it is definitely best to avoid it.
I did wonder if a national full of Japanese ladies, suddenly stopped eating Sushi throughout pregnancy and after a little bit of research, it appears that eating raw fish is "considered part of good neonatal nutrition". Of course, maybe they do not indulge whilst out in restaurants and only prepare it at home where they have full control of the fish and preparation - who knows??
I also wondered the same thing about a nation of French ladies too (not wanting to stereotype or cause offence though!) - I wonder if they avoid pate / soft & blue veined cheeses..??
Again, do nations that usually eat alot of cold meats (Germans, Italians etc), change their daily routine and avoid them completely...?
I wonder if it is just the UK that has an abundance of food rules throughout pregnancy...? My mum tells me time and time again that these rules werent around "in her day" and the children of those days grew up without any problems - and I have to admit, I kind of see where she is coming from...but at the same time, I am trying to govern my diet in accordance with these rules, because I do not want to put my unborn little one at any risk!!
Sorry for the biography...lol!!
Now, the type of sushi you are craving is actually safe to eat - anything veggie / or cooked is absolutely fine...and according to the NHS website, eating some raw sushi is also ok - as long as the fish has been frozen in transit to the restaurant. So mini sushi packs that you buy in the supermarket would not be safe...but if the restaurant you are going to keeps the sushi frozen for at least 24 hours at minus 20 degrees, this will apparently kill the harmful bacteria.
However...if you cannot have a 100% guarantee that the above has taken place, it is definitely best to avoid it.
I did wonder if a national full of Japanese ladies, suddenly stopped eating Sushi throughout pregnancy and after a little bit of research, it appears that eating raw fish is "considered part of good neonatal nutrition". Of course, maybe they do not indulge whilst out in restaurants and only prepare it at home where they have full control of the fish and preparation - who knows??
I also wondered the same thing about a nation of French ladies too (not wanting to stereotype or cause offence though!) - I wonder if they avoid pate / soft & blue veined cheeses..??
Again, do nations that usually eat alot of cold meats (Germans, Italians etc), change their daily routine and avoid them completely...?
I wonder if it is just the UK that has an abundance of food rules throughout pregnancy...? My mum tells me time and time again that these rules werent around "in her day" and the children of those days grew up without any problems - and I have to admit, I kind of see where she is coming from...but at the same time, I am trying to govern my diet in accordance with these rules, because I do not want to put my unborn little one at any risk!!
Sorry for the biography...lol!!
talulahgosh
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I live in Asia. We eat sushi all.the.time. Pregnant women don't stop eating sushi, inc. raw fish/sashimi while pregnant. They actually laugh at how namby pamby the food advice is in the west.
Btw, the risk of getting sick from seafood/sashimi is something like 1 in 1million servings, the risk from chicken is around 1 in 30,000 but no one tells us not to eat chicken. Those are NASIM stats.
I wouldn't even think twice about eating sushi. I am still eating sashimi too, just mindful of the mercury contents - avoiding shark, tilefish, mackeral and sword fish. Almost all sashimi sold in the west is flash frozen before preperation which kills any nasties that might be lurking.
Eat and enjoy!
Btw, the risk of getting sick from seafood/sashimi is something like 1 in 1million servings, the risk from chicken is around 1 in 30,000 but no one tells us not to eat chicken. Those are NASIM stats.
I wouldn't even think twice about eating sushi. I am still eating sashimi too, just mindful of the mercury contents - avoiding shark, tilefish, mackeral and sword fish. Almost all sashimi sold in the west is flash frozen before preperation which kills any nasties that might be lurking.
Eat and enjoy!
talulahgosh
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Chezza, I'm not Japanese but do live in that region and we/they all eat sashimi from shops, hawkers, restaurants without thinking twice.
My doctors gave me no food advice and when I asked about avoiding anything he laughed and said we don't practice western woo here. Which if you look into the levels of food issues, listeria etc really are just woo. 39 people contracted listeria in my country last year, 8,600 people were injured/killed in traffic there. Still got to cross those streets!
My doctors gave me no food advice and when I asked about avoiding anything he laughed and said we don't practice western woo here. Which if you look into the levels of food issues, listeria etc really are just woo. 39 people contracted listeria in my country last year, 8,600 people were injured/killed in traffic there. Still got to cross those streets!
Chezza
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Thanks Talulahgosh...you've pretty much confirmed my suspicions! I have eaten alot of sushi in my lifetime and never ever got sick once...however, I have been sick a few times after eating poorly cooked chicken (not my cooking!)!
I really am intruiged as to why we are given so many advisories during pregnancy in the UK - when other countries do not??
Are there any other international ladies on here that can share what they are told...?
I really am intruiged as to why we are given so many advisories during pregnancy in the UK - when other countries do not??
Are there any other international ladies on here that can share what they are told...?
lovelylily
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Partly because we are very risk averse and if there's even a remote chance of illness / danger to the baby then the recommendation is to avoid it. Maybe a bit nanny state, maybe a bit of the gov't / nhs covering their back and avoiding court cases or being sued? I think in most circumstances you just have to bear in mind that the risks are often very small and make your own (informed) choices where guidance is unclear. Probably in almost every circumstance it's not worth worrying if you have a little bit of something on the banned list (accidentally or not), it's just down to the amount of risk you are willing to take, and perhaps where you are in your pregnancy.
The other thing to bear in mind is that different countries have different regulations around food storage, preparation, use of chemicals in production etc., so actually the risk of eating the same food in some countries is genuinely different from that in others.
