Many questions appear during pregnancy, especially regarding food. Can we eat watercress while pregnant? Health professionals will give you various advice for a successful pregnancy. You will be told that sport is good, that tobacco will not be good for the fetus, that alcohol will be dangerous for the fetus and so on. However, in terms of food, we suggest that you have a balanced and healthy diet. However, it will not really be said if you have the possibility to eat this or that food. We will talk about with you if you can eat watercress while pregnant, what recommendations for eating watercress and the benefits of eating watercress.
Can we eat watercress when pregnant and which are the risks?
Is it safe to eat watercress when pregnant?
What a pleasure these aromatic herbs flavouringdishes and salads. It’s a shame to refrain from doing so. You may possibly wonder if you can eat watercress while pregnant. And the answer is YES. But you must make several preparations to eat watercress.
What are the risks of eating watercress during pregnancy?
The only communicable illness 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 watercress 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 advice should be followed to avoid exposure to toxoplasmosis and finally to have the possibility of eating watercress pregnant?
As seen before, toxoplasmosis parasite is found to be present in the soil. To be able to eat watercress 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 suggestions 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 health advantages of eating watercress pregnant?
Fruits and vegetables will already be recommended during pregnancy. However, what about aromatic herbs and therefore eating watercress during pregnancy? The aromatic herbs will be full of water, vitamins, antioxidants. They would have effects on digestion, tonus, diuretic, antiseptic,…. Eating watercress 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
Finally, we can confirm you can safely eat watercress while you are pregnant after washing it in clean water.