Pregnancy Food Checker

Type any food, pepperoni, sushi, brie, ice cream, Coke, get the verdict, the reason, and the exact safe portion.

Food to check

Show

Guidance follows FDA/CDC pregnancy food-safety rules (listeria, mercury, pasteeurization, toxo), the "why" is shown with every verdict.

—foods matched

How the verdicts are built

Four risk mechanisms drive every rule, and they explain 95% of pregnancy food guidance:

Listeria, grows cold in the fridge, survives deli processing. Kills the baby in ~1 in 4 infected pregnancies. Cuts: deli meats/hot dogs (steam-kill at 165°F makes them fine), soft/unpasteurized cheeses, refrigerated pâté, raw sprouts, pre-cut fruit held warm. Listeria is the reason "cold cuts" get the harshest rule.
Mercury, damages developing brain/eyes; bioaccumulates in big, long-lived fish. FDA avoid-list: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, bigeye tuna, marlin, kingfish. Tuna steak = 6 oz/week max; canned light = 2–3 servings/week (skip "skipjack" albacore = 1 serving). Salmon/shrimp/cod/tilapia are the low-mercury staples.
Raw pathogens (toxoplasma, salmonella, vibrio), raw sushi (fish is usually fine at reputable places; raw meat and shellfish are not), runny eggs, unpasteurized juice/cider/milk, unwashed produce.
Direct chemicals, alcohol (no proven safe level; AFD risk is dose-continuous), caffeine (crosses placenta; fetal clearance is slow, 200 mg/day cap), preformed vitamin A (teratogenic above 10,000 IU, hence liver/MDL limits), excess nitrate-cured loads and unpasteurized kombucha's trace alcohol.

Population guidance from FDA/CDC/ACOG-style rules, not your obstetrician's advice. High-risk pregnancies (listeria exposure history, IUGR, multiples) get stricter rules; ask your OB. Verdicts cover typical US food supply.

Frequently asked

Can I eat pepperoni while pregnant?

Yes, pepperoni is cured and dried, not a listeria vector like wet deli meats. The real issue is sodium and nitrates: treat it as a treat, not a meal. Cold pizza with pepperoni is fine; no pregnancy rule bars it.

Can I eat deli meat while pregnant?

Only heated to steaming (165°F). Cold deli turkey/ham is the classic listeria vehicle. Steaming-hot subway sub? The 30-second microwave rule makes it safe.

Can I drink coffee while pregnant?

Yes, under 200 mg/day, roughly one 12 oz drip. Half-life roughly doubles in pregnancy, so a 2 pm cup is still active at 2 am. Decaf is fine (10–15 mg).

Can I eat sushi while pregnant?

Cooked rolls (shrimp, eel, veggie), yes. Raw fish from a high-turnover place: many OBs allow it; raw shellfish and raw meat: no. Brown-rice, no-fish rolls: totally safe.