Is it ok to eat lemon balm during pregnancy?
What a pleasure these aromatic herbs flavouringdishes and salads. It’s a pity to refrain from doing so. You may wonder if you can eat lemon balm when you’re pregnant. And the answer is YES. But you must make several preparations to eat lemon balm.
What are the problems of eating lemon balm during pregnancy?
The only communicable disease will be toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis will be a pathology linked to a parasite. This parasite is implanted in the soil. He will therefore be able to grow on the lemon balm leaves. The other way of transmission is through cat. If you have to clean his litter box, bring a pair of gloves.
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What recommendations should be adopted to avoid exposure to toxoplasmosis and at last to have the possibility of eating lemon balm pregnant?
As seen before, toxoplasmosis parasite is found to be present in the soil. To be able to eat lemon balm while you are pregnant, there are two recommendations to follow. The very first question is whether you are protected against toxoplasmosis. This test is done at the beginning of your pregnancy. A blood test will be requested by the specialist to determine if you have these antibodies. If you have these antibodies in this case no need to follow rule 2. The second rule is to wash these aromatic herbs sufficiently before eating them in order to remove any soil residue and therefore the presence of the parasite. In exactly the same way, when gardening, wear gloves.
If you are interested in having more recommendations on food, you can click on the following link:
https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Documents/The-Eatwell-Guide-2016.pdf
Doctors and midwives will be the primary interlocutors throughout your pregnancy. Feel free to ask them any questions you may have.
What will be the benefits of eating lemon balm pregnant?
Fruits and vegetables will already be encouraged during pregnancy. However, what about aromatic herbs and therefore eating lemon balm during pregnancy? The aromatic herbs will be full of water, vitamins, antioxidants. They would have effects on digestion, tonus, diuretic, antiseptic,…. Eating lemon balm while you are pregnant will also give the possibility to flavor your dishes without adding too much salt or sugar, much more harmful for the fetus.
Conclusion
At last, we can confirm you can safely eat lemon balm while you are pregnant after washing it in clean water.