During pregnancy, not only do a woman’s nutritional needs change, but she also becomes more sensitive to the risks that certain foods entail. Food poisoning, which at another time in life might only produce a few gastrointestinal symptoms that are easily overcome, can cause great damage to pregnancy and the development of the fetus during this period, leading to multiple congenital diseases or, in some cases, even miscarriage.
To prevent this type of risk, doctors recommend avoiding raw foods, such as sausages, undercooked meat, or uncooked fish. This includes smoked salmon, one of the foods that has gained great popularity in recent years and has entered our kitchens without us even realizing it. However, although it is a delicious and versatile option, it entails numerous risks for pregnancy. We will tell you why you should not eat smoked salmon during this period and, if you decide to do so, some safety measures that you should take.
Smoked salmon during pregnancy to eat or not to eat?
Smoked salmon, like all other raw and smoked fish and meats, is on the list of foods that are not recommended for pregnant women. The reason is related to its preparation process. Did you know that smoked fish is raw? To prepare this delicious recipe, the best raw pieces of salmon are usually chosen and placed in a closed room with glowing embers that generate the smoke that “cooks” the fish.
However, even though at the end of the process the fish acquires a color and texture that simulates a slight cooking, in reality, the fish is still raw as it has not been subjected to sufficient heat to cook it. This is partly the secret of making this recipe so delicious. However, being raw increases the risk of pathogenic germs such as the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes or the parasite Toxoplasma gondii contaminating the meat and, in turn, being able to pass to the pregnant woman and affect the fetus.
In the first case, the pregnant woman may suffer from listeriosis, a serious infection that causes fever, headache, chills, stomach upset, and vomiting. The worst thing is that, even if the mother has or does not have symptoms, the bacteria can cross the placenta and reach the fetus, causing neurological disorders, premature birth, or even miscarriage, as revealed by a study carried out in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Service of the Hospital 12 de Octubre in Madrid.
If a pregnant woman becomes infected with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, she may develop a disease known as toxoplasmosis. This is an infection that, despite being benign for adults, can be very dangerous for pregnant women because it can cause serious damage to the baby, from congenital defects such as hydrocephalus, calcifications, psychomotor retardation, or sepsis to spontaneous abortion, as demonstrated by research carried out by doctors at the Carali II Clinical Surgical Centre.
Because of this, doctors recommend not eating smoked salmon during pregnancy to minimize the risk of these diseases. Despite this, smoked salmon can provide you with some benefits, so if you decide to consume this product, we suggest some measures you can take to eat it safely.
Alternatives for eating smoked salmon safely
Despite its risks, smoked salmon is a food with a high nutritional value. It is a great source of quality protein while providing a high dose of essential fatty acids such as omega 3 and 6, which are essential for the healthy development of the baby’s nervous system. In addition, it contains vitamin D, which contributes to the bone growth of the fetus, and a good amount of vitamin A, B3, and B12, which are especially important for the proper functioning of the immune, nervous, and brain systems. This, in addition to providing an interesting amount of iodine and iron to the pregnant woman’s diet.
Its health benefits are not enough to outweigh the risks that its consumption may entail. However, an alternative to take advantage of the benefits of smoked salmon without putting the health of the pregnant woman and her baby at risk is to cook it before eating it as you would any other piece of salmon. Make sure to cook it well at a high temperature to eliminate any bacteria or parasites that may have infected the meat. It will indeed lose some of its characteristic flavor, but you will be able to benefit from its nutritional properties without putting your baby at risk.
Another method that some experts recommend for safely consuming smoked salmon is to freeze it before eating it for at least 2 or 3 days to eliminate possible infections. However, this is a somewhat controversial technique since, although it can be a useful method to combat anisakis, it has been shown that some bacteria are able to withstand low temperatures. Therefore, if you choose to freeze it, it is still recommended that you cook it to ensure that there are no bacteria left.
Other fish and seafood preparations that you should also avoid if you are pregnant
Smoked salmon is one of the foods you should avoid when you are pregnant, but it is not the only one. You should also avoid other raw preparations of this fish such as marinated salmon. Similarly, it is recommended not to consume some recipes based on raw fish such as sushi, ceviche, or carpaccio which, although originally prepared with meat, it is also possible to find modern recipes with fish.
It is also not recommended to eat dried and salted fish such as tuna, and you should also avoid eating other raw preparations such as anchovies in vinegar. Of course, it is also not recommended to eat raw clams, mussels, or oysters. If you eat these types of products, it is best to cook them well beforehand at a high temperature to ensure that there are no pathogens left.
