Author: Ryann Kipping

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Mushrooms

Mushrooms are often categorized as a vegetable but are really fungi. They have been used for thousands of years as medicine and in food all over the world.

You might think of this funky fungus growing wildly in the yard or passing it by on hikes, but many non-toxic varieties add flavor and nutrients to your meals.

So, can you still enjoy mushrooms during pregnancy?

We cover everything you need to know about mushrooms during pregnancy below.

Can you eat mushrooms while pregnant?

The big question is, are these fungi safe for your growing body and baby?

Well, mostly. Most mushrooms you find in grocery stores are safe to eat during pregnancy and provide plenty of benefits, too.

Which mushrooms are safe to eat during pregnancy?

  • Button
  • Baby bella
  • Portobello
  • Shiitake
  • Oyster
  • Cremini
  • Enoki
  • Porcini
  • Chanterelles

When shopping for mushrooms, make sure they are firm and do not have any bruising.

While you can eat mushrooms raw or cooked, they are mainly served and eaten cooked. There is quite the debate whether we should always eat them cooked or if that denatures some of the nutritional content.

Cooking vegetables helps make them more easily digestible and also helps to eliminate any chance of bacteria lingering on the exterior.

Which mushrooms are unsafe during pregnancy?

Not all mushrooms are created equal. The “magic” kind perhaps, are of course not safe or suggested to use in pregnancy. They can cause hallucinations, muscle weakness, drowsiness, nausea, and vomiting.

Mushrooms you find in the “wild” should also be avoided. Collecting wild mushrooms poses the danger of potentially toxic mushrooms because you may not be able to properly identify them.

The side effects of eating toxic mushrooms are nausea, vomiting, and general intestinal discomfort.

There is one documented report of a pregnant woman eating an Amanita mushroom and suffering from nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and a 5-day hospital stay, however, both baby and mom were fine (1).

Interestingly, there are some mushroom species yet to be discovered, so for now, stick to the grocery stores when it comes to purchasing and eating mushrooms during pregnancy!

Mushroom nutrition information

1 cup of white raw mushrooms, sliced (2)

  • Calories: 15
  • Carbohydrates: 2.3 g
  • Protein: 2.2 g
  • Fat: 0.2 g
  • Sugar: 1.4 g
  • Fiber: 0.7 g
  • Potassium: 220 mg
  • Selenium: 6.5 mcg

Mushrooms contain a number of vitamins and minerals that are important during pregnancy such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and selenium.

Notably, their star nutrient is potassium. One cup of white mushrooms contains three-fourths of the amount of potassium that one banana provides.

Potassium is an electrolyte and mineral with many essential functions in the body including heart rhythm, muscle contractions, blood pressure, digestion, and more (3).

Are there benefits to eating mushrooms during pregnancy?

Gut microbiota

Mushrooms contain prebiotics which is a specific type of fiber that feeds the healthy bacteria in our gut. Research is building on how mushrooms can positively affect the balance of bacteria in our gut (4).

An imbalance of bacteria in the gut during pregnancy affects both mom and baby. Research shows this balance affects maternal weight and weight gain during pregnancy and can permanently affect the offspring’s metabolism (5).

Vitamin D

If grown in proper sunlight or UV-C radiation, mushrooms can be a source of vitamin D2, a nutrient that is limited when it comes to food sources, but vitally important for pregnancy (6).

Although it is estimated that 3 button mushrooms from your average grocery store only contains 40 IU vitamin D2 (7). When these same mushrooms are exposed to 15-120 minutes of mid-day sunlight, they will produce up to 10 times the amount of vitamin D.

For reference, one egg contains around 50 IU of vitamin D (8).

Enhancing your diet with mushrooms during pregnancy adds a crucial nutrient that up to 50% of pregnant women are deficient in (9).

Anti-inflammatory

While inflammation is a necessary response in our bodies, repeated inflammation without proper care results in chronic inflammation which is not good for our health (10). Inflammation in pregnancy has been linked to gestational diabetes and preeclampsia (11, 12).

Mushrooms contain many components that contribute to reducing inflammation.

Antioxidants such as carotenoids, tocopherols, and vitamin c, in addition to certain amino acids and fatty acids are all responsible for the anti-inflammatory properties in mushrooms (10).

Blood sugar control

There is some documentation that suggests mushrooms help control or reduce type 2 diabetes (13). While these studies aren’t specific to gestational diabetes, they showed a reduction in blood sugar levels and hemoglobin A1C, both biomarkers of diabetes in and outside of pregnancy (13).

It is important to note, many of these studies were completed in mice, but nonetheless, it appears it definitely can’t hurt to include various types of mushrooms in your diet.

Overall, mushrooms provide many benefits to our diet. A healthy gut microbiota, adequate vitamin D intake, low inflammation, and blood sugar control are all important aspects of nutrition during pregnancy.

How to add mushrooms to your diet

Vegetarians are often quick to use mushrooms since they are a great ingredient to help create the taste and texture of meat products, but others can simply use them as a topping or side dish.

  • Portobello “steaks”
  • Sauté with onions to top a protein of your choice
  • Mushroom soup
  • Roast alongside assorted veggies
  • Add to pasta or pizza
  • Use in an egg scramble or omelet

What about mushroom coffee during pregnancy?

Mushroom coffee is the latest and greatest energy trend, but are they safe for pregnancy?

While we could write a full article on this topic alone, it felt necessary to include a brief statement about this mushroom product here.

Mushroom coffee is black coffee with powdered mushrooms mixed in it. It contains about the same amount of caffeine as green tea, so less than your average cup of joe. Mushrooms used typically include lion’s mane, cordyceps, chaga, or reishi; no psychedelic mushrooms are used.

There is no research on mushroom coffee during pregnancy and it is important to be aware of other ingredients contained in the coffee as well. Some blends include different herbs like tulsi (14).

Adding edible mushrooms to coffee doesn’t seem like any cause for concern, but do proceed with caution verifying all ingredients and ensuring quality.

The Bottom Line

  1. While now is certainly not the time to be experimenting with wild mushrooms in the woods, it is the perfect time to grab your favorite kind of mushroom from the grocery store and prepare it the way you see fit.
  2. Including mushrooms during pregnancy may contribute to your vitamin D intake and help keep your blood sugar in check.
  3. Lastly, if you are not traditionally a mushroom eater, you can see there are many benefits to including them in your diet.

By  Ryann Kipping, MPH, RDN, CLEC | Owner & Founder and Lauren Gannon, RD

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Eggplants

Eggplants during pregnancy

If you follow a Mediterranean style diet (or enjoy eggplants), you may be wondering if you can enjoy eggplants during pregnancy.

This big purple squash is classified as a “nightshade”, a group of over 2,000 plants, although few of them are actually eaten. Some other nightshades include tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers.

You may have heard eggplants are dangerous to consume during pregnancy, but is this true?

Below we will take a look at the safety of eggplants while pregnant and also, the nutrients they provide for you and your growing baby.

Is eggplant safe during pregnancy?

Yes, eggplants are safe to eat during pregnancy. However, in this case, you can get too much of a good thing.

Nightshades such as eggplants contain a substance called solanine which can be poisonous if consumed in high quantities.

Solanine

Have your potatoes ever turned green?

This green color is essentially a warning that the solanine in the potatoes may be at a toxic level. Eggplants don’t come with a warning, but you would have to try really hard to overdo it.

Solanine poisoning occurs when you are exposed to high levels of solanine and can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and/or stomach pains.

You would need to eat over 400 mg of solanine for it to be poisonous and most nightshade vegetables contain anywhere from 2-13 mg of solanine (1).

So, unless your cravings are very strong, you will be just fine indulging in that eggplant parm from your favorite Italian restaurant.

Eggplant nutrition breakdown

1 cup or 82 grams raw, eggplant (2)

Calories: 20.5 calories

Carbohydrates: 4.8 g

Sugar: 2.9 g

Protein: 0.8 g

Fat: 0.2 g

Fiber: 2.5 g

Manganese: 0.2 mg

Folate: 18 μg

Potassium: 188 mg

Benefits of eggplant during pregnancy

Antioxidant properties

You may have heard this fancy word before but what is an antioxidant and why do I want it in my diet?

Antioxidants are substances that help protect the body from free radicals or harmful substances that may be floating around. Antioxidants are helpful in the prevention of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer (3).

More specifically, eggplants contain anthocyanins, the antioxidant that is responsible for eggplants bright and vibrant purple color (4).

Fiber

As you read above, 1 cup of raw eggplant contains 2.5 g of fiber.

Increasing fiber intake along with fluid intake is the first line of treatment for constipation during pregnancy, but fiber has many other functions other than to keep you “regular” (5).

Fiber helps keep you full longer and slows the rate at which your blood sugar rises, truly a win, win, win.

Folate

Eggplants contain folate, a nutrient vital for the growth and development of your baby. Inadequate folate intake has been linked to several poor pregnancy outcomes (6).

Even 20 years after the US required folic acid fortification in grain-based products, around 20% of women are still deficient (7). Adding more high folate foods to your diet pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy is wise.

Manganese

Manganese is one of the least studied micronutrients when it comes to pregnancy. Although you are unlikely to be deficient, it is still important to consume the recommended amount as both deficiency and excessive consumption can lead to negative outcomes (8).

Two studies found that both low levels and high levels of manganese during pregnancy correlated to low birth weight in offspring (9, 10).

How to include eggplant in your diet

Eggplants are a versatile ingredient. While opting for “low-calorie” food finds is generally not recommended during pregnancy, if you find yourself in a situation where you are gaining too much weight too quickly, this is a great addition to any meal.

Here are some recipe and meal ideas to incorporate eggplant into your meals:

  • Eggplant parmesan
  • Eggplant lasagna
  • Marinated teriyaki eggplant
  • Eggplant pizza
  • Eggplant fries
  • Eggplant “BLT”
  • Roasted eggplant

The Bottom Line 

  1. While you can eat too much eggplant, a daily serving of eggplant will not harm you or your baby during pregnancy.
  2. Not only is consuming eggplant during pregnancy completely safe, but it also comes with benefits!
  3. Eggplant provides fiber, folate, manganese, and antioxidants, amongst other nutrients important for you and baby during this time.

By Lauren Gannon, RDN and Ryann Kipping, MPH,RDN, CLEC | Owner & Founder