Is Tomato safe during pregnancy?

Vegetables Also called Tamator (Hindi); Takkali pazham (Tamil); Ramamulagakaya (Telugu); Velvangi (Marathi); Goore Hannu (Kannada); Tameta (Gujarati).

Wash thoroughly

The NHS says to wash salad vegetables such as tomatoes thoroughly; ICMR-NIN lists tomatoes among vegetables in its pregnancy food groups.[1,2]

What official sources say

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Fruit and vegetables › Foods to be careful with: Salads need care in pregnancy: wash salad vegetables such as lettuce and tomatoes thoroughly before eating.[1]

ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024

  • Its pregnancy food groups list carrots, cauliflower, bottle gourd, snake gourd, pumpkin, spinach, amaranth, capsicum, mushrooms, tomatoes and other vegetables. (p. 16)[2]

Related general rules

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Fruit and vegetables › Safe to eat: Most fruits and vegetables are safe to eat in pregnancy, as long as they are washed thoroughly first.[1]
  • Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly to remove soil, because soil can carry bacteria that may make you ill.[1]

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

  • Thoroughly rinse raw fruits and vegetables under running water before eating or preparing them, especially fruits that require peeling or cutting - like cantaloupe and other melons.[3]

US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women

  • Riskier Choice: Unwashed fresh fruits and vegetables, including lettuce and other leafy greens[4]
  • Safer Choice: Washed vegetables and fruits (washed and then cooked are safest)[4]

NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy

  • Aim for at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables a day, which can be fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced, and always wash fresh produce carefully.[5]

Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)

Energy18 kcal
Protein0.88 g
Fibre1.2 g
Sugars2.63 g
Iron0.27 mg
Calcium10 mg
Folate (DFE)15 µg
Folate, total15 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)42 µg
Vitamin C13.7 mg
Vitamin D0 µg
Vitamin B120 µg
Choline6.7 mg
DHA (omega-3)0 g
EPA (omega-3)0 g
Caffeine0 mg
Sodium5 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Tomatoes, red, ripe, raw, year round average (FDC ID 170457), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.

Sources

  1. NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.
  2. ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed page 16. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.
  3. US FDA: Fruits, Veggies and Juices (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  4. US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  5. NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.

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.