Take Away Food

[Life is Good]

Hi Ubba82

I got the information not to eat bean/alfalfa sprouts from an Australian resource that states what is not recommended in pregnancy. They say specifically that you should not eat them raw or cooked. I haven't touched them as a result, but have not done much research into why exactly we can't have them especially if they are well-cooked.

So I scoured the web this morning and have found the following info on those delicious little things that I love:

According to Expectant Mothers Guide:

Bacteria can get into sprout seeds through cracks in the shell before the sprouts are grown. Once this occurs, these bacteria are nearly impossible to wash out. Sprouts grown in the home are also risky if eaten raw. Many outbreaks have been linked to contaminated seed. If pathogenic bacteria are present in or on the seed, they can grow to high levels during sprouting - even under clean conditions. To be safe:
-Avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind (including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean).
-Cook sprouts thoroughly. This significantly reduces the risk of illness.
-Check sandwiches and salads purchased at restaurants and delicatessens. They may often contain raw sprouts.
-Request that raw sprouts not be added to your food.

According to the Minti website:

Alfalfa Sprouts are dangerous because they can carry e-coli bacteria and listeria. Alfalfa sprouts also contain the amino acid canavanine which is an anti-nutrient that can inhibit the natural immune system so they are best avoided anyway.

So the first resource says cooking is fine and the other says to avoid them all together. I personally wouldn't eat them, but I know stacks of people that do - both raw and cooked and they have not had any issues.

As usual, this sort of thing could be classified as "Listeria Hysteria", but I just thought I would find out exactly what they have to say about it online.

I hope this helps x

P.S. ktdancer - sorry for the deviation in topic.