Women who enjoyed the healthy crunch of raw alfalfa sprouts before pregnancy may need to hold off on eating them during pregnancy. While potential complications are rare, the consequences to the baby and mother are severe enough that moms-to-be should probably avoid consuming these nutritious, but potentially dangerous herbs.
Alfalfa Sprouts
The herb alfalfa produces edible sprouts that can be eaten in salads, placed on sandwiches or sprinkled on top of cooked dishes. Alfalfa sprouts are high in calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and vitamins A, D, E and K. Alfalfa is high in fiber and low in calories. Alfalfa sprouts are typically served raw. Alfalfa may also be used as a herbal remedy for a wide range of conditions including high cholesterol, diabetes, asthma, arthritis and nausea.
Bacterial Contamination
Alfalfa sprouts, along with other raw sprouts such as mung bean and clover, may be contaminated with bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli. When ingested, these bacteria can cause food poisoning, which can be dangerous to both mother and child. These bacteria typically cause nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and fever. Pregnant women may experience stronger symptoms than other healthy adults and the bacteria can also infect the developing fetus. Babies born with a foodborne infection might have fever or diarrhea at birth or could develop a dangerous brain infection.
Other Considerations
The vitamin K in alfalfa may affect blood clotting, possibly reducing the risk of postpartum hemorrhaging. However, other sources of dietary vitamin K may be safer than taking alfalfa for this purpose. Alfalfa also has mild estrogenic effects, mimicking the hormone estrogen in the body and potentially blocking the action of real estrogen. This could lead to pregnancy complications, since estrogen is important for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Another potential issue with alfalfa sprouts is that alfalfa might stimulate uterine contractions in pregnant women and lead to premature labor or birth, according to Drugs.com.
Food Safety
Instead of taking a risk on alfalfa sprouts, choose other crunchy greens such as thin cut green beans or celery to add to your salad or sandwich. If you do choose to eat alfalfa sprouts, cooking them is one option to make them safer from foodborne pathogens. Cooking does not affect the potential estrogenic or uterine-stimulating effects of alfalfa. While all raw sprouts carry a risk of contamination, be sure to keep up to date on specific brands and suppliers that have been recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
