We have already covered vegetables, fruit and fish during pregnancy in other articles. But, what about meat ? Can we eat Christmas turkey while pregnant? You are lost and no longer understand what you are able or not able to eat during your pregnancy. What is recommended and what is restricted. We will discuss with you if you can eat Christmas turkey while pregnant, the potential problems and benefits of eating meat during pregnancy.
Are we allowed to eat Christmas turkey while pregnant?
The question of whether you can eat meat during pregnancy appears frequently. So can we eat Christmas turkey when we are pregnant? The answer will be YES. However, it will be necessary to take various measures in order to be able to eat them without any risk.
What will be the problems of eating Christmas turkey while pregnant and what measures can be taken?
What are the problems of eating Christmas turkey when pregnant?
The two main risks linked with meat in pregnancy are toxoplasmosis and listeriosis.
Toxoplasmosis will be a pathology related to a parasite that is present in soil and meat. Some pregnant women will find themselves already protected, others will not. You find out this from the beginning of your pregnancy, through the blood test that the doctor will have you do. If you are immune, you don’t have to protect yourself from toxoplasmosis and therefore you will not have to worry about the following advice. If you don’t have the antibodies, then you have to follow various rules. First of all, to be able to eat Christmas turkey while pregnant, it might be important to be certain that the meat is well cooked. You shouldn’t eat raw, dried, smoked or marinated meat. The toxoplasmosis parasite won’t be killed during cooking. To eat meat during pregnancy , it will have to be cooked thoroughly. This pathology can also be transmitted by cats, fruits or vegetables through soil residues.
Listeriosis will be linked to a bacterium, generally present in cheese and meat. When the mother eat this bacteria, it could be transmitted to the baby. The signs of illness appear to be a fever that will usually go undetected. The dangers are spontaneous abortion, meningitis or bacterial infection in the baby. To protect yourself from listeriosis, take dairy products made from pasteurized products, cook meat thoroughly and you should not eat raw seafood or shellfish.
What are the precautions to take before eating Christmas turkey while pregnant?
After touching risky foods, you have to wash your hands, do not rub your eyes and rinse your kitchen utensils carefully. Separate raw, cooked and ready-to-eat foods well in your fridge. Leftover dishes will need to be warmed up thoroughly.
The only main instruction is to cook the meat thoroughly before eating it, do not eat liver, raw, smoked or dried meat. Now you understand why you can eat Christmas turkey pregnant.
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What are the nutrient intakes when you eat Christmas turkey when you are pregnant?
Meat will give you mainly protein and iron. It seems essential during pregnancy. You will indeed benefit from eating meat twice a week, so eating Christmas turkey while pregnant will be beneficial for your iron intake.
For vegans or vegetarians, consider consuming different foods to bring this iron, such as vegetables, starchy foods such as lentils, fish, aromatic herbs. The precautions are going to be the same, wash fruits and vegetables well before eating them. Do not eat raw fish.
If you would like more information about food during pregnancy, click on the link below: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/healthy-pregnancy-diet/
Conclusion
Eating Christmas turkey while pregnant will not be forbidden, but make sure the meat is very well cooked.