Eating Meat During Pregnancy – Is It Safe?

When you are pregnant, you crave a variety of foods every day. But it is essential to hold firm and not give in to every craving for the health and safety of both yourself and your baby. Remember, what you eat is for you and your baby. This mutual benefit underscores the importance of being mindful of your eating habits during pregnancy, fostering a sense of shared responsibility and care. If you love meat, it will be hard to give it up. However, knowing if it is safe is essential if you’re craving for meat in pregnancy. So, read to find out if you can eat meat when pregnant.

Can Pregnant Women Eat Meat?

Yes, pregnant women can eat meat. Meat is recommended for pregnant women owing to its high protein value. However, there is a catch. Consuming undercooked or ground meat, cured meats, liver, pâté, and game meats can harm you and the baby (1).

What Are the Risks of Eating Meat While Pregnant?

Certain risks are involved when you consume excess or raw meat during pregnancy. Read on to know how it is harmful to you:

1. Listeriosis

Deli meats are highly susceptible to bacteria that may cause listeria infection. This could lead to meningitis, gastrointestinal issues, or even a blood infection. A study shows that a pregnant woman has a 17% chance of contracting listeriosis (2).

2. Toxoplasmosis

Be it lamb, pork, or venison meat, the chances of developing toxoplasmosis increases when the meat is not thoroughly cooked. Avoid eating undercooked meat as toxoplasmosis could even pass on to your baby, and that is not at all a favourable situation (3).

3. Gestational Diabetes

Pregnant women who devour red meat during pregnancy in more than desirable quantities are likely to develop gestational diabetes due to its heme iron content (4). When such a condition arises, your blood sugar levels increase consequently. If you do not pay heed to this health concern, it may result in your baby being overweight or developing type-2 diabetes.

4. Food Poisoning

Certain kinds of fish may lead to food poisoning. Non-smoked fish, shark, and raw shellfish are a complete no-no if you are pregnant (5).

Tips to Eat Meat the Right Way

The following tips could help you opt for healthier eating options.

1. Cleanliness

Washing your hands before and after chopping meat, seafood, or poultry is strictly recommended. Also, wash the utensils to ensure they are bacteria-free.

2. Isolation

Meat and other food items should be kept at a safe distance. This step helps avoid transmission of any bacteria to your other food items, including vegetables, fruits, and salads. Meat should be kept on the lower shelf as drippage from it should not go into cooked foods (6).

3. Refrigeration

It is recommended to keep your meat frozen until you cook it. No matter what, refrigerate your meat to avoid adverse consequences (6).

4. Thorough Cooking

As already mentioned, raw meat is strictly not recommended for pregnant women. Therefore, always cook any form of meat (6).

5. Avoid Marinades

The ingredients that are used to soften the cutting of meat are called marinades. Avoid reusing them as they may be prone to harmful bacteria (6).

6. Keep Away From Fresh Pre-Stuffed Poultry

Fresh pre-stuffed poultry is generally prone to bacterial development due to raw meat juices. Thus, always choose a better option, i.e. frozen pre-stuffed poultry (6).

FAQs

1. How to ensure that meat is safely cooked?

Use a food thermometer to measure how well your meat is cooked. It is more than enough if your beef, pork, or lamb is about 145° F (6). You can also judge by colour whether your meat has been thoroughly cooked. It is cooked well if it does not appear pink in the middle.

2. Is it safe to eat lunch meat or smoked meat or cured when pregnant?

Deli or lunch meat and pregnancy do not go hand-in-hand until steamed to 165^° F (7). The same goes for smoked meat and meats that you have cured yourself. This is because these meats are more prone to bacteria that may continue to multiply under refrigeration. Therefore, steaming is the only viable option available.

3. Can pregnant women eat blackened or grilled meat?

Eating grilled or blackened meat on an occasional basis is fine. But if you love such meat and eat it frequently, it may lead to severe diseases like cancer. This is because frying or grilling can produce cancer-laden acids called heterocyclic amines (8).

4. Is eating meat from livestock that were given antibiotics okay?

If your meat is thoroughly cooked, there is no harm in eating meat from livestock that was given antibiotics. The only harm would be that such meat may contain antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

If you want to consume meat for pregnancy, this vital information about how meat could affect you is a handy guide to understanding what is safe and what is best avoided.

References/Resources:

1. Foods to avoid in pregnancy; NHS; https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/

2. Deli Meat in Pregnancy; American Pregnancy Association; https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/is-it-safe/deli-meats/

3. Toxoplasma – Food Safety for Moms to Be; U.S. Food and Drug Administration; https://www.fda.gov/food/people-risk-foodborne-illness/toxoplasma-food-safety-moms-be

5. Pregnancy and fish: What is safe to eat?; Mayo Clinic; https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy-and-fish/art-20044185

6. Meat, Poultry, and Seafood – Food Safety for Moms to Be; U.S. Food and Drug Administration; https://www.fda.gov/food/people-risk-foodborne-illness/meat-poultry-seafood-food-safety-moms-be

7. Prevent Listeria; Center for Disease Control and Prevention; https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention.html

8. Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk; National Cancer Institute; https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cooked-meats-fact-sheet

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Sea Bass when Pregnant
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Consuming Fish while Pregnant
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