Feeling annoyed - incomplete list of 'do not eat' foods?

[Kmx]

I am feeling particularly annoyed and was wondering if anyone can advise.

I have been pregnant before and my diet was probably not as "exotic" as it is now however I have read online for the "do not eat" foods and I was given a list from my doctor.

It is all the usual - runny eggs, liver, pate, undercooked meats. Etc. Nothing too surprising. I look at this list and feel comforted that I havnt/won't be putting my baby at risk as these are fairly easy to remember.

So I go out every weekend usually for dinner. Recently I have been craving thai food. I went last Sunday and again today and ordered phad thai and som tum (unripe papaya salad).

It was delicious but for some reason tonibht I decided I would do a quick google about it's safety (just out of curiosity really I didn't expect anything would be harmful. In fact I was looking forward to reading about all the vitamins and health benefits of what I had just consumed.)

Instead however I am left worried regarding the bean sprouts in the phad thai and the unripe papaya which are apparently completely off limits in pregnancy! In fact in the Google search for unripe papaya in pregnancy it has a suggestion for "unripe papaya used for abortion".

I can't believe it and I am so annoyed. Why are we provided with such a limited list of foods from the doctors/midwifed/online when in fact there is risks I would rather avoid if I knew about it.

It is the same a few weeks ago I made a lovely snack of peppers, carrots and shop bought humous and I had the bin the humous as apparently it is off limits.

I am so annoyed! Do u think the baby will be ok following this?

 

[ChickenMommy]

Hummus is off limits? Why?

Ive always been in the "everything in moderation" group, except for alcohol and things of that sort. I know when I was pregnant with my first my doctor was telling me the "no no" list and I straight up looked at him and said "Why dont you give me a list of foods I CAN eat, because that would be shorter!" In any case, I ate hot dogs, and lunchmeat, milkshakes from restaurants, I even had a few tuna sandwiches! Never had any issues from any of it. I swear they seem to start their fear mongering incredibly soon sometimes.

Id love to see if other countries (more specifically Nordic countries) have the same rules and such.

 

[Kmx]

apparently humous is off limits due to a risk of listeria.

I had tuna sandwiches today, my midwife told me that it was fine! Sometimes I feel like I would be better eating bland unhealthy food to be safe!

 

[ChickenMommy]

apparently humous is off limits due to a risk of listeria.

I had tuna sandwiches today, my midwife told me that it was fine! Sometimes I feel like I would be better eating bland unhealthy food to be safe!

Ahh, so basically the same reason cold cut sandwiches and hot dogs are out. Meh. I'll carry on with my chipotle hummus. Maybe its better if you make it yourself? I havent found a store bought brand that I like, so I just make a big batch of it on the weekend to get us through the week.

I know tuna is one that is supposed to be limited. I dont eat it often, but I remember it being recommended no more than 2-3 times a week or so? Not positive on the amounts.

 

[chipsticks]

Why bean sprouts?? I had Pad Thai for dinner too! I think a lot of the recommendations can be taken with a pinch of salt...my logic is if I haven't gotten food poisoning from it before it's unlikely I would now! I still have runny eggs!

 

[Ella86]

Eek I would feel panicky too, finding out after the fact. But honestly, most foods would have the potential to be unsafe, you know? Whether contaminated/gone bad/etc. Every day we come into contact with an unimaginable amount of bacteria/viruses/toxins/etcetc. - that we are totally unaware of. Our bodies are pretty darn resilient all considering. And I bet you could find a warning about almost any type of food during pregnancy... somewhere on the Internet. You should be just fine. Sorry you feel so crappy tho... And I totally understand.

 

[ParisJeTadore]

Definitely agree with the fear mongering comment. Everything in moderation. Supposedly pineapple can cause contractions but you'd probably have to eat a boat load to notice anything so I have some here and there and love it! Bean sprouts are only dodgy if they aren't fresh (they can make anyone sick for that matter) so as long as you visit a restaurant that you trust I'm sure it's fine.

Never heard about the hummus one but eat it quite regularly. They say a large portion of ecoli/salmonella illness comes from our vegetables (presuming under washed) so really all sorts of things can make you sick.

 

[c beary83]

I've been eating humous. Never knew it was off limits

 

[Uni tsi]

The warning is because sprouts can harbor bacteria. If they didn't give you food poisoning already, there's nothing to worry about now. I've accidentally eaten some sprouts while pregnant and nothing horrible happened. But if you eat a lot of sprouts every day you will increase your risk.

I had some papaya just the other day. Don't be afraid of ripe papaya. It's the unripened papaya that needs to be avoided.

There's not enough bromelain in pineapple to make any difference. I have heard it's more concentrated in the heart of the pineapple, but that part is pithy so people automatically cut it out and discard it. Even so, eating a whole pineapple heart wouldn't probably do anything. Maybe eatings lots of them, but let's not test it

Humous, I did not know. I guess it could be a risk if it wasn't properly refrigerated?

 

[Torz]

If you google foods to avoid during pregnancy you will end up with a huge list because every country has a different list.

Non of the food items you have listed are on the list of foods to avoid in the uk so I wouldn't worry too much.

The risk from any of these foods are so remote that's why it's just advisory to avoid & not an all out band list of foods.

The list is always being revised anyways, like I here that soft eggs are to be taken off the list as the risk of salmonella has practically been illuminated due to chickens been inoculated against salmonella. That's lion stamped eggs btw.

Everything in moderation & you should be fine, try not to worry about it.

 

[babyjan]

I've never heard of humous being off limits? I still eat it

 

[Lil_Pixie]

I try to stick to the list from the NHS website and ignore everything else. If you search online as a pp said the list is endless because there are so many views. Beansprouts and hummus aren't on the NHS list are they? I've been eating both of those.

Tbh the only thing on the NHS list I want to eat is a runny egg!!! Can't wait for my bacon and egg barm once squidge is born

 

[Learnermum]

My midwife told me that the egg advice has been revised - just as long as the eggs are lion mark and within date then however you want to eat them is fine...

 

[minties]

Hummus is on the 'do not eat' list in New Zealand, but I don't follow those things.