If you are a breastfeeding mom, you should be conscious about the food you eat. They can affect your breast milk, which can then affect your baby. That said, you may be asking questions like, "Can I eat sushi while breastfeeding?" That is a good question. Raw fish is the most common sushi topping. While adults can eat that, knowing whether or not it can affect a nursing baby is not common knowledge.
This article will give you the answer, and the learnings you will get extend beyond that. You will also learn about the best and worst fish to eat while breastfeeding, food-related illnesses to be concerned about, and more.
What are the Basics of Sushi?
Sushi is one of the most popular Japanese dishes. It consists mainly of rice and toppings. The rice is flavored with vinegar and is prepared only by specially trained cooks. The toppings could be vegetables, eggs, or seafood, especially fish.
Among the three, fish is the most common topping. This is what breastfeeding mothers are concerned about. That is because the fish in sushi is often raw. So, you would be thinking about whether or not consuming that sushi type will affect your milk and baby.
Is It Safe to Eat Sushi while Breastfeeding?
Yes, you can eat sushi while breastfeeding, but there are several factors you need to consider.
Raw fish may have bacteria or parasites. Regardless, you can still eat sushi with raw fish toppings. There's little to no risk of passing them to your baby through breast milk. However, if you are pregnant, we recommend avoiding this topping and opting for cooked fish instead.
What you need to be more concerned about is mercury content. Some fish have high levels of mercury, and there are no cooking methods that can reduce it. It is not safe for a breastfeeding baby because it can affect their brain and nervous system development. Not only that, but high mercury levels can also impact the development of gross and fine motor skills.
Pros and Cons of Eating Sushi While Breastfeeding
Here are the pros and cons of eating sushi while breastfeeding.
What Are The Benefits Of Eating Sushi while Breastfeeding?
- Cold-water fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help with cognition and vision development.
- Fish also has Vitamin D, which can pass through your breast milk. However, please don't rely on this to provide your baby with Vitamin D.
- Sushi that has vegetable toppings is healthy for you and your baby.
What Are The Risks Of Eating Sushi While Nursing?
- Some fish are rich in mercury, which can negatively impact your baby.
- There is a risk of cross-contamination. Some restaurants use the same knives and equipment to prepare all dishes.
- Raw food may not affect your baby, but it can make you sick. If you are sick, that will indirectly affect your baby.
Can I Eat Cooked Fish While I’m Pregnant or Breastfeeding?
Yes, you can eat cooked fish while you are pregnant. Breastfeeding moms (not pregnant) can even eat raw fish. In fact, several institutions, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), recommend eating 2 to 3 servings of fish a week.
However, you should choose the fish you cook and eat properly. As mentioned above, you should avoid fish with high levels of mercury. Some examples are sharks, swordfish, and marlin.
You should also prepare them properly. If not cooked right, they can cause food poisoning or diarrhea.
In general, you just have to know what fish or seafood is safe to prepare and consume.
What Are the Best and Worst Fish for Breastfeeding Women?
As mentioned above, the main keyword is mercury. If the fish has high levels of mercury, it is one of the worst. So, what fish belongs in this category? Also, what about the opposite? What are the best fish to consume for breastfeeding women?
This section dives into this topic. Here are the best and worst fish to eat when breastfeeding:
Best Fish to Eat
This list includes fish and seafood recommended by the FDA:
Fish
- Anchovy
- Cod
- Haddock
- Hake
- Herring
- Mackerel
- Perch
- Pollock
- Salmon
- Sardine
- Skate
- Sole
- Tilapia
- Trout
- Tuna, canned
- Whiting
Seafood
- Clam
- Crab
- Oyster
- Scallop
- Shrimp
Worst Fish to Eat
Here's what you need to avoid if you are breastfeeding:
- Shark
- Swordfish
- King mackerel
- Tilefish (from the Gulf of Mexico)
- Marlin
- Orange roughy
- Bigeye tuna
What You Need To Know About Listeria and Cross-Contamination
The problem with sushi is that raw fish is a common topping. Raw food can have bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli are some examples.
The problem is that there's also the risk of cross-contamination. Listeria can spread to surfaces and food the contaminated food touches. That said, eating sushi with cooked toppings is not 100% safe either. If the restaurant uses the same knife and tools to prepare all sushi rolls, you may still get food poisoning.
Breastfeeding can transfer listeria to your baby, but the chances are extremely low. That said, the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks.
Unfortunately, it is much more dangerous when you are still pregnant. Listeria can travel through the placenta and affect your baby. If it does not result in premature delivery, it can cause serious health problems for your baby. In the worst cases, it can lead to stillbirth or miscarriage.
If you are making sushi at home, remember these to reduce the risks of food poisoning:
Clean Shelves and Surfaces
Clean surfaces that raw meat or fish came in contact with, as well as the shelves in the fridge that contained it. This helps prevent cross-contamination. Use the appropriate bacteria-cleaning solvent to avoid causing other health problems.
Wash Your Hands
If you touched raw fish or meat, we recommend not touching anything else afterward. Wash your hands first, especially if you're going to touch ready-to-eat food next. Doing this helps prevent cross-contamination.
Keep Notes
You don't want raw fish and meat, or other perishable items, to remain unconsumed until they are no longer safe to eat. Therefore, you should take notes on when to consume them or consume them as soon as possible to prevent bacteria buildup.
How To Protect Yourself from Food-Related Illness while Pregnant or Breastfeeding?
The changes in your immune system during pregnancy and after birth make you and your baby make you more susceptible to foodborne illness. Hence, you should know the best practices to protect yourself from these illnesses. Here are some key tips on how to avoid food poisoning:
- For pregnant women, avoid eating raw seafood. The list includes sushi, sashimi, raw oysters, raw clams, raw scallops, and ceviche.
- Pregnant women should not eat smoked or refrigerated seafood unless they are in a cooked dish. The list includes cod, mackerel, trout, tuna, and whitefish. They are often labeled as jerky, kippered, lox, nova-style, or smoked.
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also avoid unpasteurized juice or cider.
- Avoid unpasteurized milk or products made with unpasteurized milk, like soft cheeses, such as brie, feta, and queso fresco.
- Whether you want to use eggs as sushi topping or not, you should cook them thoroughly.
- Do not eat undercooked meat and poultry. Furthermore, reheat deli or luncheon meats, hot dogs, cold cuts, and sausages (dry or fermented).
Tips For Safe Sushi Consumption While Breastfeeding
Here are some tips that will allow you to enjoy sushi while breastfeeding while minimizing risks.
Choose Low-Mercury Fish
Opt for sushi made with low-mercury fish like salmon, shrimp, tilapia, or canned light tuna. Avoid high-mercury species such as swordfish, king mackerel, or bigeye tuna, as mercury can pass into breast milk and harm a baby’s developing nervous system.
Prioritize Cooked Sushi
While raw fish is generally safe for breastfeeding mothers, cooked options reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses. Try rolls with cooked fish, seafood, or vegetables.
Select a Reputable Restaurant
Ensure the sushi is prepared in a clean, well-reviewed establishment with fresh, high-quality ingredients to minimize the risk of contamination.
Limit Raw Shellfish
Avoid raw shellfish like clams, oysters, and scallops, as they are more likely to harbor harmful bacteria and toxins.
Mind Portion Sizes
Follow FDA and EPA guidelines to consume 8–12 ounces of low-mercury seafood per week. This ensures you get the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids without overexposure to mercury.
Avoid Alcoholic Accompaniments
Skip sake or other alcohol, which are often paired with sushi, as alcohol can transfer to breast milk and affect your baby.
Stay Informed About Ingredients
Ask about sushi ingredients to avoid hidden allergens, high-mercury fish, or raw components if you prefer fully cooked options.
What are Alternatives to Fish Sushi for Breastfeeding Moms?
The good news is that fish is not the only sushi topping or filling. If you want to be extra safe, opt for these fish-less sushi options:
- Vegetarian sushi rolls - These are often made with avocado, shiitake mushrooms, cucumber, or pickled daikon.
- Inarizushi - These are sushi rice in fried or seasoned tofu pouches.
- Fruit Sushi - Sushi rice topped with kiwi, strawberries, or mango, with a touch of sweet sauce.
- Tamago Nigiri - Sushi rice topped with a Japanese omelet.
Can I Make My Own Sushi at Home?
Yes, you can. It is much cheaper and also safer because you can pick the ingredients and know how the sushi was prepared. To make homemade sushi, you just need the following:
- Sushi rice
- Rice wine vinegar
- Nori or thin sheets of seaweed
- Bamboo sushi mat
- Toppings or fillings that are safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Other Tips for Safe Breastfeeding
Again, a mom who eats sushi while breastfeeding does not put her baby in danger. Even if you eat sushi with raw fish, the risk of transferring pathogens through breast milk is very low. But if you want to be as safe as possible, we recommend pumping before eating sushi. It gives you milk you can feed your baby with. Since the milk is already expressed, what you eat afterward will not affect it.
Check the Momcozy M9 Breast Pump if you want a good breast pump. Not only is it effective, but it is also feature-rich. For instance, you can control it using an app and set alerts for pumping schedules. Furthermore, this pump is safe to use and will not cause you discomfort.
Here are some products that can help you with this.
Momcozy Breast Milk Storage Bags
The Momcozy breast milk storage bags are easy to use. Just open the seal to pour milk in, and then tear the corner to pour the milk out. It features fantastic sealing, ensuring no leaks and keeping unwanted substances from entering the bags. But that's not all. These bags are also temperature sensing. You can look at the temperature icon's color to identify if the milk is cold, in optimum feeding temperature, or hot.
All bags come pre-sterilized, so they are hygienic and safe to use.
Momcozy Portable Breast Milk Cooler
If you need to go out to get sushi, consider bringing a portable breast milk cooler. It allows you to give your baby breast milk that's safe to ingest after eating sushi at the restaurant.
The Momcozy Portable Breast Milk Cooler is TSA-compliant and offers a separate milk bottle for zero contamination risks. The cooler is high capacity, and you can see the quantity of remaining milk. The best thing about it is its ability to keep breast milk cool for up to 24 hours. Indeed, it is the perfect cooler to bring when heading out.
Conclusion
Can I eat sushi while breastfeeding? Yes, you can. Just be careful not to eat fish that has high mercury content, and don't pair it with alcohol. These substances can pass through breast milk and affect your baby. On the other hand, if you're pregnant, you should also avoid sushi with raw toppings to avoid listeria and E. coli.
To ensure safety, you should also pump milk before eating sushi. That will give you uncontaminated breast milk that you can give your baby after eating sushi. Use high-quality milk storage bags and coolers, and you are good to go!
