Christmas dinner can be a complicated time for pregnant women because it is recommended that they avoid certain foods during pregnancy. What to eat during the end of the year celebrations? Explanations.
- Alcohol consumption in pregnant women increases the risk of losing her baby.
- On the other hand, it is possible to eat a wine-based sauce because the alcohol is evaporated during cooking.
In France, 753,000 babies were born in 2019, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE).
Foods not recommended during holiday meals
For pregnant women, the holiday season can be a difficult time. Indeed, they are advised to respect certain food restrictions during pregnancy in order to avoid diseases such as toxoplasmosis, listeriosis, salmonellosis… So, finally, what can future mothers eat or not during the Christmas meal ?
Unsurprisingly, some Christmas Eve classics are discouraged. These are smoked salmon, pre-sliced sous-vide salmon and oysters. For these foods, there is a risk of listeriosis, a rare but serious disease in pregnant women which is caused by a bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes.
Still in the “fish” register, caviar, lump eggs and tarama are also prohibited for this New Year’s Eve meal. On the meat side, cold cuts and cheese should be avoided, unless they are pasteurized or with cooked pasta. Don’t forget to remove the crust which may contain bacteria.
Finally, according to the recommendations of High Council for Public Health (HCSP), it is necessary to avoid fats in too large quantities… And this, even if it is the Christmas meal.
But it is still possible to have fun at Christmas
Once these prohibitions have been mentioned, let’s move on to what it is possible to eat… And against all odds, the list is quite long. As for fish, cooked oysters, cooked fresh salmon, cooked scallops, but also lobster, crab, langoustines and prawns are allowed.
For meat, it is possible to eat foie gras – provided it is cooked to avoid the risk of listeriosis -, white pudding and poultry… The Christmas turkey is therefore quite possible!
Finally, on the dessert side: if it’s something cooked, no problem. But you have to be careful with the ingredients: if there are raw eggs in the log, opt for another sweet to finish your Christmas meal.
