Is Pesto Safe During Pregnancy? Find Out Now

If you’re pregnant, can you eat pesto? Are there any concerns for the unborn child? It’s natural to have these thoughts if you’ve just learned you’re pregnant, but we’re here to clear up any confusion.

One sauce that is frequently used in Italian cooking is pesto, which goes great with pasta. What foods should you avoid during pregnancy, though? Does pesto count among them?

What is pesto?

Basil, one of the key components in pesto, gives the sauce its distinctively green hue. They are one of the most well-liked pasta sauces when combined with pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pecorino or Parmigiano.

The pesto Genovese, which has Ligurian origins, is available both with and without garlic. This is because not everyone enjoys or digests garlic well, thus it is frequently possible to obtain a milder version alongside the original recipe.

Is pesto safe during pregnancy?

Pesto during pregnancy poses no risk, especially if it is of high quality and produced with real, fresh ingredients. Naturally, each pregnancy is unique, so it is always best to visit your doctor first. Above all, remember the fundamental guideline for all nutrition throughout pregnancy: don’t eat too much at one time.

Although it is very hard to consistently avoid the taste of Genoese pesto sauce, an overdose can have negative effects on both you and your unborn child. Try making the green sauce at home instead of buying it if you want to be safe and make a light and nutritious pesto. How?

The basil leaves should be well-cleaned because they could be contaminated with bacteria. Add one garlic clove to the pesto if you don’t have any specific digestive issues because garlic has therapeutic benefits that are particularly helpful during the nine months of pregnancy.

Benefits of pesto

Basil is good for you

Pesto’s primary component, basil, is responsible for its distinctive flavor and recognizable shade of green. Basil is a helpful medicinal plant for the stomach, although not many people are aware of this. Additionally, it offers a wealth of nutrients that are good for the entire body, such as iron, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin K.

It contains proteins

The classic Genoese pesto recipe also includes pine nuts, which are naturally abundant in proteins and vital fatty acids for pregnancy. Do you understand how proteins affect pregnancy? having the capacity to control your appetite and make you feel full. The ideal quantity of protein is always present in a healthy diet, helping to burn fat and build muscle. Additionally, proteins are necessary for the baby’s development.

Calorie intake is limited

The recommendation to consume pesto while expecting also stems from the fact that, despite being high in vitamins, minerals, and proteins, it has a low-calorie content, lowering the danger of gaining weight that will be challenging to lose after giving birth.

Vitamins that promote bone growth

When consumed throughout pregnancy, pesto is a reliable source of vitamin D that is important for maintaining strong, healthy bones and joints. Contrarily, vitamin C boosts your energy levels and helps you fight off infections while you’re pregnant. Finally, during pregnancy, vitamin A helps to improve the appearance of the skin.

Pesto has healthy fats

The extra virgin olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats, is what gives the pesto its creaminess. By strengthening the walls of the arteries and generally promoting cardiovascular health during pregnancy, monounsaturated fats are healthy for the heart. The composition of the pesto encourages levels of good cholesterol (HDL) at the expense of bad cholesterol (LDL).

Risks related to pesto

Indeed, we’ve already covered all the advantages of Genoese pesto, but consuming it while pregnant carries some risks. In the meantime, a required presumption relates to the quantity: you don’t have to never overdo it because the combination of the pasta’s calories and the pesto’s calories results in a filling dish for which portions should be kept to a minimum.

Furthermore, since basil is the main ingredient in pesto, it may include toxoplasmosis, an illness that doesn’t pose a risk to healthy individuals, is asymptomatic, or only manifests as flu-like symptoms. Toxoplasmosis can cause fetal issues (malformations or brain damage), a miscarriage, and other more severe effects in pregnant women.

You should make careful to thoroughly wash the basil leaves before preparing the pesto since the bacterium that causes toxoplasmosis is primarily found in raw and cured meats, but it can also be found in fruits and vegetables.

Pesto During Pregnancy: Pasteurized vs Unpasteurized

The components for pesto are often combined by companies uncooked, but they are pasteurized before packing to lengthen the shelf life.

Ask beforehand since freshly produced pesto at a farmers market (or handmade) may not have been pasteurized. If in doubt, be sure it has been cooked to a temperature that will destroy any germs to be safe. Bacteria should be eliminated by heating food to at least 165°F/75°C for 30 seconds.

Pesto purchased from a retailer that is shelf-stable is secure, but once opened, it has to be refrigerated. The pesto that is either homemade or fresh from the market has to be kept chilled at all times.

Pesto has a short shelf life and rapidly spoils once opened. This is because, owing to their high-fat content, olive oil and pine nuts are more likely to deteriorate than the majority of other foods.

Why Pesto Can Contain Listeria

Food recalls have sometimes been made in relation to pesto. Cross-contamination has sometimes occurred rather than the pesto itself in certain cases.

Despite the fact that pine nuts are often found in pesto. The presence of undeclared pine nuts has led to several recalls. Nevertheless, pesto was recalled in 2017 because of listeria contamination. In reality, unpasteurized pesto often contains low concentrations of listeria.

Due to its high water content and low pH, pesto is readily polluted. As a result, ready-to-eat dips like pesto are more likely to include listeria and other pathogen contamination.

Choose pasteurized pesto (often available in a jar, unrefrigerated) to be on the safe side, or cook the pesto along with your pasta or other components until piping hot.

Choosing the type of pesto

Pesto during pregnancy, especially the packaged variety purchased at the grocery store, can be ingested without any issues while making a variety of recipes at home because it has passed rigorous testing and is deemed safe.

Every brand has a unique flavor, therefore it is simple to grow fond of pesto rather than switching to something that better suits our more individualized preferences. Now what? First and foremost, it’s important to read the ingredient list and find out how much salt and preservatives are in the jar.

If you get pesto from the deli counter and you must absolutely eliminate the chance of contracting toxoplasmosis. Freeze it for a few days in the freezer to lessen the bacterial load if any.

Faqs:

Is Italian cheese safe during pregnancy?

Since there is a minimal risk of listeria, cheese that has matured for more than eight weeks is often safe to consume while pregnant. So any Parmigiano Reggiano that has matured for 12 or 24 or 36 months is completely safe to eat.

Is most blue cheese pasteurized?

Most blue cheeses are created from goat milk that has not been pasteurized. Listeria, a pathogen found in unpasteurized blue cheese, is known to cause miscarriages. Good methods to get rid of it include cooking the cheese or using pasteurized blue cheese.

Can pregnant people have garlic sauce?

Garlic is usually thought to be safe during pregnancy, although there isn’t much research on the subject. It is probably safe to eat garlic in the quantities normally seen in meals.

Final thoughts

Despite having more calories per serving than some sauces, pesto is constructed with incredibly nutritious components like basil, olive oil, and almonds. It seems to me to be a fantastic technique to enhance the flavor of pasta dishes as well as veggies and proteins.

Making your own can be wonderful, but pre-made pesto has come in handy on numerous busy nights for me. To choose a brand of pesto you like when purchasing it from the supermarket. Look at the ingredients and sodium content.

Overall, pesto is generally safe to consume while pregnant. But because it is susceptible to contamination, always eat it fresh or stick to trusted brands. Use it up within a few days of opening it, then store it in the refrigerator, topping it out with oil if necessary. Cheers to your pesto!

Reference:

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/fresh_basil_pesto/

https://community.babycentre.co.uk/post/a31355359/green-pesto-can-you-eat-it