Craving Sushi During Pregnancy? How to Safely Satisfy Your Sushi Fix While Expecting

Sushi is one of those cravings that hits hard when you’re expecting. The combination of tender rice savory seafood, and bright pickled ginger is hard to resist. But with restrictions on raw fish when you’re pregnant is sushi really off the table? Or are there pregnancy-safe sushi rolls you can still enjoy?

As an expectant sushi lover myself, I dove into the research to uncover which sushi options are safe and how to get your sushi fix without putting your health at risk. Keep reading for a complete guide to eating sushi during pregnancy!

Can You Eat Raw Sushi When Pregnant?

Let’s start with the basics: raw fish is off limits during pregnancy due to the risk of foodborne illnesses like listeriosis. Dangers of eating raw seafood when expecting include:

• Bacteria like listeria and salmonella: More common in raw seafood, these bugs can cause flu-like symptoms or worse.

• Parasites: Raw seafood may contain harmful parasites you don’t want passed to your baby.

• Mercury: Large predatory fish often have higher mercury levels, which are unsafe during pregnancy.

So raw sushi options like sashimi or nigiri are not considered pregnancy-safe. Always opt for cooked preparations.

Are Shrimp Tempura Rolls Safe in Pregnancy?

The good news is shrimp tempura rolls are acooked sushi option considered safe to eat while pregnant. Here’s why:

• The shrimp is battered and fried tempura-style, cooking it through.

• Frying shrimp to an internal temperature of 145°F kills any bacteria present.

• Cooking also destroys any parasites or pathogens shrimp may harbor.

As long as the shrimp is thoroughly cooked, a shrimp tempura roll is a smart sushi choice when expecting.

Other Cooked Sushi Options Safe During Pregnancy

Beyond shrimp tempura rolls, other cooked sushi rolls and items are also pregnancy-approved. Safe sushi choices include:

• Rolls with cooked fish like smoked salmon, grilled eel, or fried whitefish.

• Vegetarian rolls with ingredients like avocado, cucumber, mango, or pickled daikon radish.

• Miso soup, seaweed salad, edamame, and other veggie sides.

• Rice-based bowls or donburi with cooked meats or shrimp.

• Fried items like tempura veggies, shrimp, chicken, or sweet potato rolls.

Focusing on these cooked and vegetarian sushi options allows you to satisfy sushi cravings without risking your health.

Tips for Choosing Pregnancy-Safe Sushi

When ordering sushi while pregnant, keep these tips in mind:

• Ask about cooking methods for all rolls, especially fish. Only order cooked items.

• Avoid high-mercury fish like tuna, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel.

• For nigiri or sashimi, request fish that’s low mercury and cooked through.

• Go easy on spicy tuna rolls, as not all restaurants fully cook this.

• At a conveyor belt place, check price plates for raw vs. cooked indications.

• Feel free to customize rolls by asking for cooked fish or veggie substitutions.

• Seek out places with extensive cooked and veggie sushi menus.

With a few precautions, you can customize orders for safety and enjoy sushi you crave.

My Favorite Pregnancy-Safe Sushi Rolls

Over the course of my pregnancy, I discovered quite a few cooked, veggie, and shrimp-based sushi rolls that really hit the spot. Here are some of my top safe sushi picks:

• Shrimp tempura roll – Crispy, hot fried shrimp is hard to resist. A classic choice.

• California roll – Filled with avocado, cucumber, crab sticks, nothing you need to avoid.

• Caterpillar roll – Grilled freshwater eel and creamy avocado make this roll irresistible.

• Vegetarian roll – I love the mix of flavors from mango, avocado, cucumber and asparagus.

• Spicy kani roll – These tiny rolls of cooked crab and spicy mayo always satisfy.

• Sweet potato tempura roll – The tender sweet potato with tempura crispiness is genius.

• Shrimp avo roll – Buttery avocado balances the plump cooked shrimp beautifully.

With so many tasty pregnancy-friendly sushi options, my cravings always got met safely.

Should You Avoid Certain Sushi Ingredients When Pregnant?

Beyond avoiding raw seafood, are there any other sushi ingredients that are off-limits or require caution during pregnancy?

Here are a few things to consider:

• Sesame Seeds – Sesame is a top allergen, so if you’re allergic, avoid seeded rolls.

• Soy sauce – High sodium content means you may want to limit soy sauce. Opt for reduced sodium if available.

• Spicy Mayo – Go easy on spicy mayo, Sriracha, and wasabi if you have heartburn.

• Roe/Fish eggs – Raw fish eggs open up risk of pathogens, so avoid roe.

• Imitation Crab – Ensure it’s cooked thoroughly, as it’s often made from fish.

Outside of raw seafood, wasabi, and fish roe, most common sushi ingredients are fine in moderation when cooked.

Health Benefits of Eating Sushi While Pregnant

Beyond satisfying cravings, eating sushi offers some excellent health perks during pregnancy:

• Omega-3s – Cooked fatty fish provide omega-3s that support brain development.

• Protein – Fish and shrimp offer lean protein to support muscle growth and structure.

• Iodine – Seaweed contains iodine to nourish your thyroid.

• Iron – Shrimp supplies iron to help prevent pregnancy anemia.

• Folate – Rice and seaweed pack in folate, vital for your baby’s neural tube development.

• Vitamin C – Get immunity-boosting vitamin C from sushi garnishes like ginger and radish.

When you choose wisely, sushi offers an abundance of nutritional benefits for you and your growing baby.

Satisfying Homemade Pregnancy-Safe Sushi Recipes

Even when the sushi restaurant isn’t an option, you can satisfy cravings at home with these pregnancy-friendly recipes:

• Baked Tofu Sushi Bowl – Marinated baked tofu over sushi rice and veggies.

• Crispy Shrimp Sushi Tacos – Shrimp tempura served taco-style for a fun twist.

• Inside-Out California Roll – Layers of crab stick, rice, and veggies for easy rolling.

• Garden Veggie Sushi Bites – Whip up bite-sized sushi cups with fresh veggie fillings.

• Smoked Salmon Sushi Bowl – Flaky smoked salmon served over rice with mango and greens.

With a little creativity, you can craft all kinds of crave-worthy sushi meals safely at home.

Is Sushi Safe to Eat While Breastfeeding?

The good news is that once baby arrives, the sushi restrictions lift! When breastfeeding, the list of safe sushi options expands to include:

• Raw fish like tuna, salmon, yellowtail, and more
• Rolls with roe and other raw seafood
• Spicier varieties like jalapeño tuna rolls

The key is choosing reputable restaurants that serve high-quality fish. This reduces risks of parasites, mercury, and other hazards that could pass through breastmilk.

During pregnancy, hold off on raw fish. But once baby is here, you can finally dive into that spicy tuna roll! For now, satisfy cravings safely with cooked shrimp, vegetables, and other pregnancy-friendly sushi.

The Takeaway

Although you need to avoid raw fish, cooked items like shrimp tempura rolls, veggie rolls, and other creative combos make pregnancy sushi possible. With knowledge of the right menu picks, plus a few personalized sushi creations, you can balance cravings and safety. A few modifications let you maintain your sushi loving ways through all 40 weeks. Before you know it, baby will be here and raw sushi will be back on the menu!