Pregnant, traveling to Italy - need some food advice (any Italians out there?)

[Anonymous]

I'm traveling to Italy this summer, at which point I'll be at the end of my second trimester. In general I would like to stick to the "rules" or advice given to pregnant people in country that I visit, so I'm hoping some Italians or folks that have lived in Italy can offer some advice.

Does anyone know what Italian women are told to avoid during pregnancy? I'm wondering specifically about desserts (tiramisu, gelato), cheeses (I assume lots aren't pasteurized, parmesan is made from raw milk after all...), meats (prosciutto, salami), sauces (carbonara, etc).

Most of these things are on the No-No list in the US, I know the American advice already (please don't reiterate what every other resource in the US lists as general advice) but am specifically wondering what people from Italy/Europe are being advised. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Not Italian, but I was there during my second trimester and ate pretty much everything in sight (washed down with the occasional glass of wine, so you may not want to take my advice . I dont think they have the same listeria and salmonella concerns because their food system is far more decentralized and also far more regulated, and therefore less at risk of contamination. I wouldn't have eaten prepackaged meats from a supermarket, but why would you do that in Italy anyway... generally there when you get cured meats, they have been cured in house or locally and are carved under your nose. Whereas here, the risk from listeria comes from contamination that spreads to the cooked meat before it's packaged. As for salmonella (in eggs), it's pretty rare even here, and good food safety practices should avoid it. We just dont have those, sadly.

[Anonymous]

None of those ridiculous rules are followed by Italians. Eat what you like and enjoy....you won't even have to deal with the guilt of putting on a few extra pounds as a result. Advice from the wife of an Italian who was totally perplexed by American "rules."

[Anonymous]

I'm French and my sister laughed at me when I visited pregnant and would not eat certain cheeses or meats. 2 years later she was pregnant and had listeria, had a miscarriage in her second trimester. If I hadn't come to the US a decade ago I'd probably laugh at certain things, too, but I'm more careful now. Europeans aren't known for a safety culture. There are pluses to that but at least when I am pregnant I am going to be more careful. I think we French accept a bit more risk. I know people who drive after drinking way too much, and alcohol road deaths are much higher in France.

http://www.who.int/csr/don/2000_02_29/en/index.html -- about listeria in France.

[Anonymous]

If you're going to Southern Italy (ie: Sicily) where the dishes incorporate more fish then you may want to brush up on your low mercury fish but other than that eat what you want.

[Anonymous]

I, too, traveled in Italy when I was at the end of my second trimester and can only reiterate what the others have said. I ate wonderfully, and did have the occassional glass of wine, as well(you're in Italy, how can you not!?). I even got laughted at by an old Italian lady who told me my son would be born pale and weak if I did not drink at least one glass of red wine a day during my pregnancy! I ate cheese, seafood, gelato (all in moderation, of course) while I was there and managed to have a bright, healthy son now in the gifted program at school .

[Anonymous]

I took a cooking class in Italy and the recipe they gave me for Tiramisu contains raw egg. Don't know if they have the same fears about raw eggs there but you might want to assume that they use them still in tiramisus. Have fun!

[Anonymous]

Don't order decaffeinated coffee! You will get a puzzled look!

You're in Italy enjoy!!!

[Anonymous]

i went at the end of my second trimester too. ate everything. and drank a glass of wine here and there too.

[Anonymous]

I'm English and my husband is Italian, we spend our summers in Italy and and I'm pregnant with my second child. We went to the Italian version of the pregnancy food restrictions on line to get our advice(you can also look up the English UK plans) these are definitely more informed than the American guidelines. As for what you can eat, they have the same advice on cheese as US, but hard cheeses are fine, avoid cheese with a powdery rind, go enjoy the ricotta its amazing, but they say no to prosciutto and cold cuts too. Red wine is ok, but obviously not in excess! Most people will see you're pregnant and advice you, after all Italians love pregnant women. On another note, which I LOVE, it is illegal in Italy for a woman who is pregnant to queue for anything, that includes the people with her at museums, the post office, grocery shops, customs, everywhere, so enjoy the pampering and buon viaggio!