Is It Safe To Eat Mussels During Pregnancy?

While some say you shouldn’t eat mussels during pregnancy, others say it is safe to eat mussels while you are pregnant. Remember to consult with your doctor rather than go by information from friends and family.

The question of safety needs to be addressed with respect to every variety of seafood you consume during pregnancy. There are two things a mom-to-be must keep in mind throughout the three trimesters:

1. During pregnancy, the immune system is less active. Therefore, bacteria might attack you and your growing baby easily
2. Some bacteria have the capacity to cross over the placenta and potentially harm or worse, even destroy the fetus

Health Benefits Of Eating Mussels During Pregnancy

• Mussels are a lean source of protein that aids fetal growth and therefore are safe during pregnancy. But as mentioned earlier, it must be cooked properly
• Besides protein, they are high in Zinc, potassium, Vitamin C and Calcium. These are the minerals necessary for your health and for also for the growth of the fetus
• Also, mussels are a good source of iron that helps increase blood volume and keep you from getting tired easily
• Moreover, they are low in fat and therefore good for the heart

Side Effects Of Consuming Uncooked Mussels During Pregnancy

Following are some of the side effects of eating mussels during pregnancy.

Risk of Food Poisoning

Like most shellfish, mussels might harbor bacteria, the most common one being Vibrio Vulnificus. These rod-shaped bacteria can survive in seawater even though it has a higher concentration of salt. If fishes from sea water are eaten raw or are undercooked, the chances of food poisoning are higher.

In normal adults, Vibrio is known to cause diarrhea but because pregnant women are low in immunity, the side effects of consuming foods infected with Vibrio can be more serious. However, it is not known for sure if Vibrio can actually cross the placenta and harm the fetus. Yet, it is better to be safe than sorry.

Risk Of Hepatitis

Under cooked mussels are known to harbor Hepatitis A. This virus is the most common cause of jaundice in pregnancy. An infected mother might pass it on to the baby and cause further infection to the liver when the baby is born.

Hepatitis A is also known to be a cause for premature delivery. To prevent Hepatitis A from passing on to you, make sure you cook the mussels in boiling water for at least 3 minutes. Steaming is not of much help to kill the virus.

Risk of Contamination

Mussels are highly exposed to contaminants in the sea. This includes mercury as well, but not in larger quantities. Therefore, make sure that you consume it within the prescribed limits. One or two servings a week is ideal

How To Cook Mussels?

When you buy mussels it is very important to store them properly.

• Transfer the mussels into a bowl and loosely cover it with a wet kitchen towel or wet tissue paper. This is because it is very imperative to keep the mussels moist while at the same time giving them some air.
• Store the mussels in the coolest part of your refrigerator, and make sure that you cook them the same day.
• Don’t clean the mussels until you are ready to cook them
• Remember to boil the mussels for 3 minutes (as mentioned earlier), even if their shells have already opened. This is the only way to destroy the Hepatitis A virus.
• If after boiling, the shells don’t open, discard them. Mussels are known to use their shells as filters to get their food from the water they live in. Therefore, the shells harbor bacteria. This is why it is important to break the shells completely before consuming

Remember to consult your doctor when you are in doubt about any food that you want to include in your diet during pregnancy. You can browse and find interesting recipes using mussels as an ingredient. You can substitute ingredients to suit your taste and needs.

As long as mussels are cooked well and the shells are broken, there is nothing to worry. Enjoy your food and stay safe during those nine months. Remember, indulgence is not a problem, but anything in excess is.

Did you eat mussels when you were pregnant? How did it benefit you? Please leave your experience in the comments section below.