Can I eat poultry pate during pregnancy?

Avoid. It’s not safe to eat chilled pate during pregnancy, the kind from the deli counter — pate can be contaminated with listeria bacteria. Canned and shelf-stable pate is fine. Listeriosis can cause mild, flu-like symptoms that can appear anywhere from several days to several months after you’ve been exposed to the bacteria. Listeria can reach the baby even when you barely feel sick yourself, so the chilled kind is the one to leave. Chicken liver pate is worth leaving either way — liver is very high in preformed vitamin A.

Can I eat poultry liver during pregnancy?

Take care. Surprised to see liver in the "Dangerous" category? Yep, that's it. Liver is rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein, but it contains high amounts of preformed vitamin A, or retinol. Too much of this type of vitamin A in your diet can cause birth defects in your developing baby, especially during the first months of pregnancy. And don't forget that you are also taking supplements containing vitamin A! So skip liver dishes while you're pregnant — one serving can carry several times a whole day's limit. Avoid liver pate: it can be contaminated with listeria.

Can I eat goose during pregnancy?

Safe. Goose is a tasty and healthy meat for everybody, including pregnant women. It is rich with proteins that are needed to build new cells in the body and your baby needs protein to form his muscles. It is also rich with iron that helps you and baby build healthy red blood cells as your blood volume expands and could also help prevent premature birth. Make sure you cook goose WELL with temperature no lower than 165° F (74° C), with no pink bits, and wash kitchen utensils and hands immediately after handling raw meat. Ordering goose dishes in a restaurant or for carryout, make sure it’s been cooked thoroughly. Better warn your waiter that you are pregnant before they start cooking your dish.

Can I eat turkey during pregnancy?

Safe. Turkey is a great product for pregnancy. It's rich with protein that your body needs at this time, also it's a great source of vital amino acids, B vitamins like B6 and B3 that you need for a healthy pregnancy. If you want to get the best nutrients from your turkey, look for the ones that are raised under organic conditions. Grass fed turkeys, unlike the factory farmed raised ones, are rich in nutrients and lot more superior. Make sure you cook turkey WELL with temperature no lower than 165° F (74° C), checked with a thermometer in the thickest part rather than by eye, and wash kitchen utensils and hands immediately after handling raw meat. Ordering turkey dishes in a restaurant or for carryout, make sure it’s been cooked thoroughly. Better warn your waiter that you are pregnant before they start cooking your dish.

Can I eat duck during pregnancy?

Safe. Duck is great during pregnancy. It contains plenty of proteins including all sorts of amino acids. Every 2.5 ounce of the duck meat provides about 18 grams of proteins. Proteins strengthen the immune system, take care of skin and are very useful for the baby. Duck is rich in zinc and selenium, vitamins B5 and B12 that promote the nervous system functioning during pregnancy. Duck meat is also rich in iron, which helps boost hemoglobin production, boosts RBC count, and prevents the risk of anemia. Make sure you cook duck WELL with a temperature no lower than 165° F (74° C), with no pink bits, and wash kitchen utensils and hands immediately after handling raw meat. Ordering duck dishes in a restaurant or for carryout, make sure it’s been cooked thoroughly. Better warn your waiter that you are pregnant before they start cooking your dish.

Can I eat chicken during pregnancy?

Safe. Eating chicken is recommended — it's light and tasty. Chicken is rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, but is not fat. It is actually lower in fat than other meats, so it is really ideal for pregnant women. But make sure you cook chicken WELL with temperature no lower than 165° F (74° C), with no pink bits, and wash kitchen utensils and hands immediately after handling raw meat. If you are ordering chicken dishes in a restaurant or for carryout, make sure it’s been cooked thoroughly. Better warn your waiter that you are pregnant before they start cooking your dish.

Pregnancy food safety · 6 entries

Poultry during pregnancy

Chicken, turkey, duck and goose are all good for you right now: lean protein, iron, B vitamins. The rule is the same for every one of them and every cut — 165°F (74°C), whole or ground, measured with a thermometer in the thickest part. Color is not a reliable guide. Poultry can stay slightly pink at 165°F and can look done well before it gets there, which is why the thermometer beats "no pink bits". Wash your hands, board and knife after raw poultry, and do not rinse the bird — that only sprays bacteria around the sink. Deli chicken and turkey are ready-to-eat, so heat those to 165°F or steaming first. Chicken and turkey liver is the one to skip: too much preformed vitamin A.

Every poultry entry, with a verdict

Sorted with the ones worth knowing about first. Avoid means skip it entirely; take care means it depends on how it was prepared.

Poultry pate
Avoid
It’s not safe to eat chilled pate during pregnancy, the kind from the deli counter — pate can be contaminated with listeria bacteria. Canned and shelf-stable pate is fine. Listeriosis can cause mild, flu-like symptoms that can appear anywhere from several days to several months after you’ve been exposed to the bacteria. Listeria can reach the baby even when you barely feel sick yourself, so the chilled kind is the one to leave. Chicken liver pate is worth leaving either way — liver is very high in preformed vitamin A.
Poultry liver
Take care
Surprised to see liver in the "Dangerous" category? Yep, that's it. Liver is rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein, but it contains high amounts of preformed vitamin A, or retinol. Too much of this type of vitamin A in your diet can cause birth defects in your developing baby, especially during the first months of pregnancy. And don't forget that you are also taking supplements containing vitamin A! So skip liver dishes while you're pregnant — one serving can carry several times a whole day's limit. Avoid liver pate: it can be contaminated with listeria.
Goose
Safe
Goose is a tasty and healthy meat for everybody, including pregnant women. It is rich with proteins that are needed to build new cells in the body and your baby needs protein to form his muscles. It is also rich with iron that helps you and baby build healthy red blood cells as your blood volume expands and could also help prevent premature birth. Make sure you cook goose WELL with temperature no lower than 165° F (74° C), with no pink bits, and wash kitchen utensils and hands immediately after handling raw meat. Ordering goose dishes in a restaurant or for carryout, make sure it’s been cooked thoroughly. Better warn your waiter that you are pregnant before they start cooking your dish.
Turkey
Safe
Turkey is a great product for pregnancy. It's rich with protein that your body needs at this time, also it's a great source of vital amino acids, B vitamins like B6 and B3 that you need for a healthy pregnancy. If you want to get the best nutrients from your turkey, look for the ones that are raised under organic conditions. Grass fed turkeys, unlike the factory farmed raised ones, are rich in nutrients and lot more superior. Make sure you cook turkey WELL with temperature no lower than 165° F (74° C), checked with a thermometer in the thickest part rather than by eye, and wash kitchen utensils and hands immediately after handling raw meat. Ordering turkey dishes in a restaurant or for carryout, make sure it’s been cooked thoroughly. Better warn your waiter that you are pregnant before they start cooking your dish.
Duck
Safe
Duck is great during pregnancy. It contains plenty of proteins including all sorts of amino acids. Every 2.5 ounce of the duck meat provides about 18 grams of proteins. Proteins strengthen the immune system, take care of skin and are very useful for the baby. Duck is rich in zinc and selenium, vitamins B5 and B12 that promote the nervous system functioning during pregnancy. Duck meat is also rich in iron, which helps boost hemoglobin production, boosts RBC count, and prevents the risk of anemia. Make sure you cook duck WELL with a temperature no lower than 165° F (74° C), with no pink bits, and wash kitchen utensils and hands immediately after handling raw meat. Ordering duck dishes in a restaurant or for carryout, make sure it’s been cooked thoroughly. Better warn your waiter that you are pregnant before they start cooking your dish.
Chicken
Safe
Eating chicken is recommended — it's light and tasty. Chicken is rich in omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, but is not fat. It is actually lower in fat than other meats, so it is really ideal for pregnant women. But make sure you cook chicken WELL with temperature no lower than 165° F (74° C), with no pink bits, and wash kitchen utensils and hands immediately after handling raw meat. If you are ordering chicken dishes in a restaurant or for carryout, make sure it’s been cooked thoroughly. Better warn your waiter that you are pregnant before they start cooking your dish.

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Every poultry entry, with a verdict

Poultry pate

Poultry liver

Goose

Turkey

Duck

Chicken

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