Mushrooms are good for health. They are also extremely delicious. It doesn’t matter if you are eating them as part of your salads, in your sandwiches, or as spicy curries, they are equally good in taste and texture. However, now that you are pregnant, you might be wondering whether you can continue to eat those delicious delicacies any more. You will probably be hearing too many words of caution and an equal number of assurances, and you are completely confused. In this article, we have tried to look at the issue from all sides and try to put your mind to rest.
Yes, in moderation
The good news is, yes, you can certainly eat ample mushrooms when you are pregnant. There are no restrictions- medical or otherwise- that would restrict you from eating as many mushrooms as you want, as long as you are not overindulging in your cravings. You can certainly eat at least a couple of portions of mushrooms in your pregnancy diet, and you can include them with every meal.
Cooked mushrooms
While you can eat mushrooms in any form and with any meal, there are some you must most certainly avoid. Raw mushrooms, for instance, are a complete no-no when it comes to eating these during pregnancy. Some of the biggest food related illnesses that can affect pregnant women is listeriosis, which is transmitted to the mother through the bacteria listeria. Listeria grows on uncooked and under cooked food. When such food is consumed by the pregnant woman, the mother experiences only a slight discomfort like nausea and some digestive disorders; however, the baby is severely affected, leading to developmental problems, preterm births, and even miscarriages. Apart from these, some forms of mushrooms have also been linked to cancers when consumed in the raw form.
Magic mushrooms
Other mushrooms you must avoid are the magic mushrooms. These are toxic varieties that contain psilocybin, which is a chemical that has the potential to alter your brain activity, and also affects the fetus in your womb. In fact, doctors recommend that you stay away from these mushrooms even after you have delivered and while you are breastfeeding, as the chemicals can be transmitted to the baby through the milk. Of course, since magic mushrooms are regularly used by addicts looking to get a high, you probably already know that they must be avoided when you are pregnant.
How to buy
You should also be very careful while buying mushrooms. This s because some forms of mushrooms are incredibly dangerous, and can lead to poisoning and sometimes to instant death. Besides, even if the ingestion is not in dangerous levels, they might still cause irreversible damage to the fetus by being transmitted to the bay through the umbilical cord. Remember, your immunity is already highly compromised during pregnancy, and the baby’s immunity has not really started to develop yet. So, when you buy mushrooms, make sure that you are buying the right kind. Buy them only from trusted sources, and, depending on which part of the world you live in, it is best not to buy them from roadside vendors you have not seen or met before.
Medicinal mushrooms
You can safely consume medicinal mushrooms when you are pregnant. However, it is best to first consult your doctor and then decide whether you should be consuming these medicinal mushrooms. A few drug companies such as Myko San, which is a naturopathy company, and some other research companies and mycological experts have undertaken reliable research on medicinal mushrooms that expound the many benefits of these varieties. For instance, maitake and shiitake, which are very similar to white button and Portobello and other edible mushrooms, can be safely consumed by pregnant women. Medicinal mushrooms provide a lot of nutritional benefits to the pregnant woman. They contain a very large reserve of beta glucan, which is a polysaccharide sugar. They are also very high in fiber, which makes them ideal for consumption during pregnancy. During pregnancy, most women suffer from digestive disorders and constipation, and the fiber content in mushrooms helps smoothen the entire process. Besides, medicinal mushrooms are also known to fight the free radicals in the body, thus preventing cancer. It is also an antioxidant, therefore, it will boost the blood circulation of the mother and help in boosting the development of blood circulation of the baby as well.
Also read: Can I eat Eggplant (Brinjal) during pregnancy?
It is important to remember that every pregnancy is different, and therefore, no one rule applies to everybody. While it is okay for most women to eat mushrooms while they are pregnant, you should still speak to your doctor before you eat them. If mushrooms are a particular favorite, talk about them the first time you are making a diet plan for the first trimester.