Pregnancy

Fish you can trust

Fish is the best source of the fat a baby's brain is built from, and a few species carry mercury. These use the ones FDA and EPA put on the eat-more list, cooked through.

Iron-rich Folate-rich Calcium-rich DHA, low mercury Choline & iodine

Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy. A few ingredients — green papaya, pineapple, mugwort, Vietnamese coriander, bitter melon — are traditionally avoided in Vietnamese pregnancies. Only green papaya has a reasonably clear pharmacological basis (the papain in its latex); the rest is custom rather than trial evidence. They are labelled here so you can see them, not removed.

Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off. Cooking does not remove alcohol. The USDA retention table: about 40% of it is still there after 15 minutes of simmering, 25% after an hour, 5% after two and a half hours, and 75% in a dish that was flamed. The NHS says no level of alcohol is known to be safe in pregnancy. Everything below is simmered rather than splashed in at the end, but the figure is not zero. The call is yours.

Dishes for this stage

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Photograph of Pad Thai with prawns Pad Thai with prawns Thailand · 30 min Photograph of Salmon and Courgette Porridge Salmon and Courgette Porridge Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Cod and Potato Porridge Cod and Potato Porridge Vietnam · 40 min Photograph of Soft Rice with Prawn and Winter Melon Soft Rice with Prawn and Winter Melon Vietnam · 35 min Photograph of Soft Rice with Tilapia and Greens Soft Rice with Tilapia and Greens Vietnam · 40 min Photograph of Prawn and Malabar Spinach Porridge Prawn and Malabar Spinach Porridge Vietnam · 40 min Photograph of Thick Salmon and Carrot Porridge Thick Salmon and Carrot Porridge Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Tom yum goong Tom yum goong Thailand · 35 min Photograph of Fresh spring rolls Fresh spring rolls Vietnam · 25 min Photograph of Sour fish soup Sour fish soup Vietnam · 40 min Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Salmon teriyaki Salmon teriyaki Japan · 25 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Okonomiyaki Okonomiyaki Japan · 35 min Photograph of Chiles en nogada Chiles en nogada Mexico · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Ebi tempura Ebi tempura Japan · 40 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Banh Xeo Sizzling Rice Crepe Banh Xeo Sizzling Rice Crepe Vietnam · 50 min Photograph of Moules marinières Moules marinières France · 30 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Takoyaki Takoyaki Japan · 45 min Photograph of Fesenjan Fesenjan Middle East · 2 hr Photograph of Spaghetti alle vongole Spaghetti alle vongole Italy · 30 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Neobiani Neobiani Korea · 30 min Photograph of Yakisoba Yakisoba Japan · 25 min Photograph of Spaghetti allo scoglio Spaghetti allo scoglio Italy · 45 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Songshu guiyu (squirrel fish) Songshu guiyu (squirrel fish) China · 1 hr Photograph of Sarde in saor Sarde in saor Italy · 1 hr Photograph of Ojingeo bokkeum Ojingeo bokkeum Korea · 30 min Photograph of Pla neung manao Pla neung manao Thailand · 40 min Photograph of Goan fish curry Goan fish curry India · 45 min Photograph of West Lake vinegar fish West Lake vinegar fish China · 40 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Pasta con le sarde Pasta con le sarde Italy · 50 min Photograph of Godeungeo gui Godeungeo gui Korea · 30 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Pla rad prik Pla rad prik Thailand · 45 min Photograph of Meen moilee Meen moilee India · 40 min Photograph of Sayadieh Sayadieh Middle East · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Caramelised braised fish in clay pot Caramelised braised fish in clay pot Vietnam · 50 min Photograph of Camarones a la diabla Camarones a la diabla Mexico · 35 min Photograph of Godeungeo jorim Godeungeo jorim Korea · 45 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Goong ob woon sen Goong ob woon sen Thailand · 40 min Photograph of Kerala prawn curry chemmeen curry Kerala prawn curry chemmeen curry India · 40 min Photograph of Samke harra Samke harra Middle East · 1 hr Photograph of Bouillabaisse Bouillabaisse France · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Tamarind prawns Tamarind prawns Vietnam · 30 min Photograph of Risotto ai frutti di mare Risotto ai frutti di mare Italy · 50 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Haemul pajeon Haemul pajeon Korea · 35 min Photograph of Pu pad pong karee Pu pad pong karee Thailand · 45 min Photograph of Ginger and scallion crab Ginger and scallion crab China · 40 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Machboos rubyan Machboos rubyan Middle East · 1 hr Photograph of Stuffed squid in tomato sauce Stuffed squid in tomato sauce Vietnam · 50 min Photograph of Impepata di cozze Impepata di cozze Italy · 25 min Photograph of Nakji bokkeum Nakji bokkeum Korea · 35 min Photograph of Hoy lai pad prik pao Hoy lai pad prik pao Thailand · 25 min Photograph of Unadon Unadon Japan · 45 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Macher jhol Macher jhol India · 45 min Photograph of Typhoon shelter crab Typhoon shelter crab China · 50 min Photograph of Ghalieh mahi Ghalieh mahi Middle East · 1 hr Photograph of Coquilles Saint-Jacques Coquilles Saint-Jacques France · 50 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Pla sam rot Pla sam rot Thailand · 45 min Photograph of Saba no misoni Saba no misoni Japan · 35 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Doi maach Doi maach India · 45 min Photograph of You men da xia (braised prawns) You men da xia (braised prawns) China · 30 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Karides guvec Karides guvec Middle East · 45 min Photograph of Grilled snakehead fish Grilled snakehead fish Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Camarones al mojo de ajo Camarones al mojo de ajo Mexico · 30 min Photograph of Goong tod kratiem Goong tod kratiem Thailand · 25 min Photograph of Saba shioyaki Saba shioyaki Japan · 30 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Chingri malai curry Chingri malai curry India · 45 min Photograph of Bao chao youyu (spicy squid stir-fry) Bao chao youyu (spicy squid stir-fry) China · 25 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Fish tagine with chermoula Fish tagine with chermoula Middle East · 50 min Photograph of Tamarind crab Tamarind crab Vietnam · 40 min Photograph of Fritto misto di mare Fritto misto di mare Italy · 35 min Photograph of Pla muek pad khai khem Pla muek pad khai khem Thailand · 30 min Photograph of Buri teriyaki Buri teriyaki Japan · 30 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Amritsari fish fry Amritsari fish fry India · 40 min Photograph of Hamsi tava Hamsi tava Middle East · 40 min Photograph of Hor mok pla Hor mok pla Thailand · 1 hr Photograph of Ebi furai Ebi furai Japan · 30 min Photograph of Prawn balchao Prawn balchao India · 50 min Photograph of Truite aux amandes Truite aux amandes France · 35 min Photograph of Steamed clams with lemongrass Steamed clams with lemongrass Vietnam · 15 min Photograph of Mojarra frita Mojarra frita Mexico · 40 min Photograph of Choo chee goong Choo chee goong Thailand · 35 min Photograph of Kaki furai Kaki furai Japan · 35 min Photograph of Prawn ghee roast Prawn ghee roast India · 45 min Photograph of Grilled shrimp paste on sugarcane Grilled shrimp paste on sugarcane Vietnam · 50 min Photograph of Arroz a la tumbada Arroz a la tumbada Mexico · 1 hr Photograph of Hoy tod Hoy tod Thailand · 35 min Photograph of Hotate no batayaki Hotate no batayaki Japan · 20 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Marmite dieppoise Marmite dieppoise France · 1 hr Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Carp braised with pickled mustard greens Carp braised with pickled mustard greens Vietnam · 1 hr Photograph of Saumon en papillote Saumon en papillote France · 35 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Grilled scallops with scallion oil Grilled scallops with scallion oil Vietnam · 30 min Photograph of Doenjang jjigae Doenjang jjigae Korea · 35 min Photograph of Sundubu jjigae Sundubu jjigae Korea · 30 min Photograph of Chawanmushi Chawanmushi Japan · 40 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Wonton noodle soup (yun tun mian) Wonton noodle soup (yun tun mian) China · 50 min Photograph of Kuku sabzi Kuku sabzi Middle East · 45 min Photograph of Goya champuru Goya champuru Japan · 30 min Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Cacciucco alla livornese Cacciucco alla livornese Italy · 1 hr 30 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Mi Quang Turmeric Noodles Mi Quang Turmeric Noodles Vietnam · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Soupe de poisson à la rouille Soupe de poisson à la rouille France · 1 hr 15 min Photograph of Thick Rice Noodle Soup with Crab Thick Rice Noodle Soup with Crab Vietnam · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Kongnamul guk Kongnamul guk Korea · 25 min Photograph of Yen ta fo Yen ta fo Thailand · 45 min Photograph of Kalguksu Kalguksu Korea · 1 hr Photograph of Yosenabe Yosenabe Japan · 30 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Kongguksu Kongguksu Korea · 50 min Photograph of Brodetto all'anconetana Brodetto all'anconetana Italy · 1 hr Photograph of Har gow (Cantonese crystal shrimp dumplings) Har gow (Cantonese crystal shrimp dumplings) China · 45 min Photograph of Thai suki nam Thai suki nam Thailand · 50 min Photograph of Siu mai (Cantonese pork and shrimp dumplings) Siu mai (Cantonese pork and shrimp dumplings) China · 35 min Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Photograph of Vietnamese crab and egg soup Vietnamese crab and egg soup Vietnam · 45 min Photograph of Shoyu ramen Shoyu ramen Japan · 1 hr Cooked with alcohol — it does not all boil off Brown seaweed — high in iodine if eaten often Photograph of Twigim Twigim Korea · 40 min Photograph of Tod mun pla Tod mun pla Thailand · 45 min Photograph of Cheung fun (Cantonese steamed rice noodle rolls with shrimp) Cheung fun (Cantonese steamed rice noodle rolls with shrimp) China · 1 hr Photograph of Tod mun goong Tod mun goong Thailand · 40 min Photograph of Khanom pang na moo Khanom pang na moo Thailand · 40 min Photograph of Banh khot mini savoury pancakes Banh khot mini savoury pancakes Vietnam · 40 min Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy Photograph of Banh bot loc tapioca dumplings Banh bot loc tapioca dumplings Vietnam · 1 hr 30 min Photograph of Edamame Edamame Japan · 15 min Photograph of Khao pad sapparod Khao pad sapparod Thailand · 35 min Contains an ingredient tradition avoids in pregnancy

These suggestions follow published nutrition guidance from the WHO, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, the NHS, the FDA/EPA and ACOG. They are not medical advice and do not replace a doctor or a dietitian. With an existing condition, a food allergy or a high-risk pregnancy, ask a doctor before changing how you eat.

Only the first 120 are shown. The list is generated from each dish's ingredients; nobody has read every one of them by eye.