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Can I eat raw sprouts while pregnant or breastfeeding?

Pregnant

✕ Best to avoid

Raw sprouts may carry bacteria that washing does not remove. Cooking them thoroughly is commonly advised.

Breastfeeding

! Use caution

Raw sprouts carry a general food-safety risk for anyone, because washing does not remove the bacteria. Cooking them is the lower-risk choice.

A small bowl of fresh raw alfalfa and bean sprouts

Safer swaps while pregnant

Cooked sprouts
Shredded lettuce
Cucumber

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How these answers are made

Oatleaf answers come from public food-safety guidance, mainly the CDC, FDA and EPA for the US and the NHS for the UK. Each answer cites the pages it relies on, and every link was opened and checked in October 2026. Where US and UK advice differ, the answer says so. Written by the Oatleaf team at Astralab Studios. It is general information, not medical advice.

Last reviewed October 2026.