Can You Eat Deli Meat While Pregnant?
Medically reviewed by Alyssa Dweck, MS, MD, FACOGMedically reviewed by Alyssa Dweck, MS, MD, FACOGEating meat during pregnancy can be nutritious, and pregnant folks need extra iron and protein to sustain themselves and their babies. This is probably why many expectant parents end up having serious cravings for meat. But can you eat deli meat while pregnant? While most types of meat are safe to consume during pregnancy, deli meats—sometimes referred to as lunch meat—is typically recommended to avoid.That’s because deli meat is a potential source of listeria, a bacteria that can pose serious risks to pregnant people and their growing babies. “Listeria...is killed by cooking and pasteurization, but sometimes people who consume deli meat can get listeria, which is very dangerous during pregnancy,” explains Christine Greves, MD, an OB-GYN at Orlando Health Women's Institute Center for Obstetrics and Gynecology.Listeria concerns are real and you should take them seriously, but that doesn’t mean you have to forgo your hunkering for that turkey or bologna sandwich altogether. Here, we’ll go over everything you need to know about deli meat while pregnant, including the risks, the misconceptions, and most importantly: how to safely consume these meats.
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Risks of Eating Deli Meat While PregnantBoth the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend avoiding certain high risk foods during pregnancy. “Cold cuts or deli-meat are among the list of foods to avoid,” says Kathryn Schlaffer, MD, assistant program director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship at the University of Maryland Medical, adding that these recommendations remain in place whether or not there has been a recent listeria outbreak or recall.So, what exactly are the risks of a possible listeria infection from deli meats? Listeria is a bacteria that causes food poisoning symptoms, like fever, chills, diarrhea and vomiting. Although listeria infections are generally rare among the general population, and don’t usually cause serious symptoms among healthy, young non-pregnant individuals, it can cause serious symptoms in pregnant people.As the CDC points out, although only about 1,600 people get listeria each year, it’s the third leading cause of death resulting from food poisoning. About 260 people die from listeria each year. Among the people more susceptible to a listeria infection are pregnant people, as they're ten times more likely to get listeria infections than others.Not only are pregnant people more likely to get ill with listeria than non-pregnant people, listeria can cause significant risks to their pregnancies. “Listeria infection can cause serious pregnancy complications including miscarriage, preterm labor, or life-threatening infections of the newborn,” says Dr. Schlaffer. “While a pregnant person may experience only mild symptoms of infection—or even no symptoms at all—listeria infection still poses very serious risk to the fetus.”This is why it’s vital that pregnant individuals pay close attention to their risk of foodborne illness during pregnancy, Dr. Schlaffer emphasizes.Myths About Eating Deli Meat While PregnantOne misconception about deli meats while pregnant is that if you just eliminate them, you are off the hook. When it comes to understanding listeria risk during pregnancy, you should keep in mind that the concern includes other foods besides deli meat.As Dr. Schlaffer describes, “Listeria thrives in a cold environment, and the risk extends beyond deli-meat to other cold, ready-to-eat products including sliced and pre-packaged vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, soft cheeses, and even ice cream.”According to ACOG, the following foods should be avoided if you are concerned about a listeria infection during pregnancy:Unpasteurized milkSoft cheesesDeli and luncheon meatsHot dogsMeat spreadsRefrigerated pâtéSmoked seafood that has been refrigeratedRaw fruits and veggies that have not been properly washedRaw and undercooked meat, eggs, seafood, and poultrySushi made with raw fishAnother misconception is that simply refrigerating these foods is enough to keep them safe from listeria. “Keeping food refrigerated and at a safe storage temperature is important for food safety in general, but unfortunately this does not kill listeria, which thrives in a cold environment,” Dr. Schlaffer explains. “Even the freezer will not kill listeria. Because of this, listeria can impact many ready-to-eat foods that are served cold, especially if processed or handled with equipment that has been contaminated.” Additionally, just because a deli meat looks “fresh” doesn’t mean it’s safe. “Just because things may look tasty or presented on a beautiful board doesn’t mean that it is safe to eat,” Dr. Greves reminds. “Charcuterie boards are absolutely delicious, but just because there may be dried cured meat, that doesn’t mean that listeria is not present.”Safety Guidelines for Eating Deli Meat While PregnantHere’s the good news: There is a way to safely eat deli meat while pregnant, so if you are six months pregnant and have a midnight craving for a turkey sandwich, you are in luck! “If you have that craving, and the only thing that you can eat is deli meat, then make sure that you heat it to where you see it is steaming so that way it kills any listeria that could be present,” Dr. Greves advises.According to the CDC, this means heating your deli meat to 165°F before eating it, which will help kill off any possible listeria bacteria. Of course, not everyone has a way to measure how hot their food is, so the general guideline is to heat the meat until it’s steaming. You should eat the meat soon after you’ve heated it up. Some people end up enjoying their entire sandwich hot, like a grilled meat sandwich, or a panini-style sandwich. It’s up to you.Bear in mind that even if you’ve dealt with the meat on your sandwich, you should make precautions with other aspects of your sandwich-making. “Consider the risk of cross-contamination and ensure that any non-heated components of the meal (tomatoes, for instance) did not previously come into contact with uncooked meat before consuming,” Dr. Schlaffer advises. “The same goes for knives, cutting boards, and other tools used for food prep and storage.”Alternatives to Eating Deli MeatAlthough there are some safer ways to eat deli meat while pregnant, some people prefer to simply avoid it, either because they don’t like the idea of steamed meat or because they want to avoid all possible listeria risks. “If the idea of a hot-turkey sandwich while pregnant in August doesn’t sound appealing, consider skipping the deli-meat altogether,” Dr. Schlaffer suggests.If your goal is to steer clear of any possible listeria exposure, your best bet is to not only remove deli meat from your diet during pregnancy, but also any other possible source. “A focus on purchasing minimally processed whole foods and produce gives the consumer more control to wash, peel, and prepare at home—bypassing many steps of commercial processing that pose risk for contamination,” recommends Dr. Schlaffer. “It is a perfect time to take advantage of summer’s abundance of produce and prepare something fresh at home.”Other things you can do to protect your health when it comes to listeria is:Staying informed of listeria outbreaks in the newsAvoiding known higher-risk foods, such as soft cheeses, raw meats, unwashed raw fruits and veggiesPracticing safe food handling and storage techniquesIf you have any further questions about eating deli meat while pregnant, definitely reach out to a health care provider. You should also reach out to a provider if you have questions about your overall nutrition during pregnancy, as well as other food safety concerns. For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter! Read the original article on Parents.
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