Eating Meat During Pregnancy – Is It Safe?

Craving meat during pregnancy is not new or uncommon. If you are experiencing such cravings with intensity during pregnancy, you are not alone, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of. While craving meat when pregnant is not bad or harmful, it might be problematic if you eat raw meat during pregnancy. Yes, raw meat and pregnancy are no good friends. So, if you are thinking whether you can eat meat when pregnant, then yes, you can eat meat during pregnancy as long as it is thoroughly cooked at the right temperature. It is highly important to note here that eating undercooked, half-cooked, slightly cooked, raw, or medium rare meat can bring a host of infections that can jeopardise pregnancy and the health of the baby in the womb. To learn about the right temperature and safety practices of eating meat during pregnancy, read till the end.

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).

Benefits of Eating Meat During Pregnancy

Eating well-cooked lean meat in moderation can help meet the increased nutritional demands of pregnancy when included as part of a balanced diet. Excess consumption should be avoided. Below are some health benefits of consuming meat in pregnancy:

1. Provides High-Quality Protein

Protein supports your baby’s growth and helps build fetal tissues, organs, muscles, and the placenta.

2. Rich Source of Iron

Meat contains highly absorbable heme iron, which helps reduce the risk of iron-deficiency anaemia and supports healthy oxygen transport.

3. Supplies Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy brain development, red blood cell formation, and nervous system function.

4. Supports Healthy Brain Development

Many meats provide nutrients such as choline, zinc, and vitamin B12 that contribute to your baby’s brain and nervous system development.

5. Strengthens the Immune System

Zinc found in meat supports immune function, cell growth, and tissue repair during pregnancy.

6. Helps Meet Increased Nutrient Needs

Lean meat supplies several important nutrients, including niacin, selenium, phosphorus, and vitamin B6, which support maternal health and fetal growth.

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 in Pregnancy

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.

Also Read:

Sea Bass when Pregnant
Chicken During Pregnancy
Consuming Fish while Pregnant
Is it Safe to Eat Shrimp in Pregnancy

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Sources References

1. NHS – Foods to avoid in pregnancy

2. American Pregnancy Association – Deli Meat in Pregnancy

3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Toxoplasma – Food Safety for Moms to Be

5. Mayo Clinic – Pregnancy and fish: What is safe to eat?

6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Meat, Poultry, and Seafood – Food Safety for Moms to Be

7. Center for Disease Control and Prevention – Prevent Listeria

8. National Cancer Institute – Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk