Is Sprouts (raw: alfalfa, moong, radish) safe during pregnancy?

Vegetables

Cook thoroughly; avoid raw sprouts

The US FDA says to avoid raw sprouts of any kind and cook them thoroughly; the US CDC lists raw or undercooked sprouts as a riskier choice and sprouts cooked until steaming hot as safer; FSANZ lists raw seed sprouts as higher-risk. ICMR-NIN notes that sprouted grains improve iron absorption, without saying whether raw or cooked.[1,2,3,4,5,6]

What official sources say

US FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)

  • Avoid eating raw sprouts of any kind (including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean).[1]
  • Cook sprouts thoroughly. This significantly reduces the risk of illness.[1]

US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women

  • Riskier Choice: Any raw or undercooked sprouts, such as alfalfa and bean[2]
  • Safer Choice: Cooked sprouts (until steaming hot)[2]

US CDC: Preventing Listeria Infection

  • Avoid: Raw or lightly cooked sprouts (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[3]
  • Choose these instead: Sprouts cooked until steaming hot (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[3]

FSANZ: Listeria in food

  • Avoid pre-prepared ready-to-eat foods, especially: raw seed sprouts (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[4]

FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people

  • Higher-risk foods: Seed sprouts - raw (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[5]
  • Safer alternatives: Thoroughly cooked sprouts (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[5]

ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024

  • Iron absorption can be improved by eating fermented and sprouted grains, and vitamin C-rich foods such as guava and oranges, with meals. (p. 15)[6]

Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)

Energy30 kcal
Protein3.04 g
Fibre1.8 g
Sugars4.13 g
Iron0.91 mg
Calcium13 mg
Folate (DFE)61 µg
Folate, total61 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)1 µg
Vitamin C13.2 mg
Vitamin D0 µg
Vitamin B120 µg
Choline14.4 mg
DHA (omega-3)0 g
EPA (omega-3)0 g
Caffeine0 mg
Sodium6 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Mung beans, mature seeds, sprouted, raw (FDC ID 169957), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.

Sources

  1. US FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  2. US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  3. US CDC: Preventing Listeria Infection · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  4. FSANZ: Listeria in food · foodstandards.gov.au. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand, licensed under CC BY 4.0; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  5. FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people · foodstandards.gov.au. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand, licensed under CC BY 4.0; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  6. ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed page 15. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.

Sources checked 26 September 2026.

Quotes are checked word for word against each source page, and paraphrases against the original text. Official bodies are named as sources only: none of them reviewed or endorses this page.

Educational information, not medical advice. Your own doctor or midwife may advise differently for you — follow their advice.