Pregnancy food checker · United States
Can I eat bean sprouts while pregnant?
This U.S. guide covers bean sprouts, also called bean shoots or togue in some menus, and other sprouts such as alfalfa. Check what the dish actually contains.
Short answer
Avoid raw or lightly cooked sprouts during pregnancy. Choose sprouts cooked thoroughly until steaming hot. Washing them or adding them to a hot bowl does not by itself confirm adequate cooking.
What to check before eating
- Are the sprouts cooked in the kitchen or added raw at the table?
- Can staff cook the sprouts thoroughly or leave them out?
- Are there raw sprouts in the sandwich or salad?
How to prepare or order bean sprouts
Identify the sprout ingredients
Check salads, sandwiches and noodle toppings for sprouts. At a restaurant, ask whether they are raw, lightly cooked or thoroughly cooked before deciding.
Guidance sources: FDA [1]
Continue reading: Can I eat salad bar food while pregnant?
Cook throughout, not just on the surface
Cook the sprouts until steaming hot throughout, turning them so the whole portion heats evenly. A quick dip or a warm bowl of soup does not show that this has happened.
Guidance sources: CDC [2]
Keep raw garnishes out of the finished dish
Ask for pho without raw sprouts, or for the kitchen to cook them thoroughly. Adding raw sprouts to soup at the table does not confirm they have been cooked throughout.
Three meals where sprouts are easy to miss
Check the garnish as well as the main dish. These are useful questions to ask before the kitchen starts.
| Your order | Ask for this | If that is not possible |
|---|---|---|
| Pho with a plate of raw bean sprouts | “Please cook the sprouts thoroughly in the kitchen.” | Leave off the raw side dish; dipping it into the serving bowl is not a cooking check. Guidance sources: CDC [2] |
| Stir-fried noodles with bean sprouts | “Are the sprouts cooked through, rather than tossed in at the end?” | Request no sprouts if the kitchen only serves them lightly cooked. Guidance sources: CDC [2] |
| A sandwich or vegetable sushi roll | “Please make mine without raw sprouts.” | Choose a different filling; ask before assembly rather than planning to pick sprouts out. Guidance sources: FDA [1] |
The same check applies to alfalfa and other sprouts, including those called bean shoots or togue.
A few more questions
Can I wash raw sprouts to make them suitable?
No. FDA explains that bacteria can get inside sprout seeds and be very hard to wash out. Do not use rinsing as a substitute for thorough cooking.
Guidance sources: FDA [1]
Are home-grown sprouts or togue treated differently?
Home growing does not remove the risk from contaminated seeds. Whatever the menu name, check whether the ingredient is a sprout and whether it was thoroughly cooked.
Guidance sources: FDA [1]
Are Brussels sprouts the same as bean sprouts?
No. Brussels sprouts are small cabbage-like buds, not germinated bean or alfalfa seeds. For them, follow fresh-vegetable washing and preparation guidance; do not apply the raw-seed-sprout rule just because of the name.
Guidance sources: FDA [1]
Background and other choices
What matters for bean sprouts
- Bacteria can enter sprout seeds and are difficult to wash away.
- Home-grown sprouts are not exempt from the raw-sprout advice.
- Check raw garnishes separately from the cooked meal.
Safer next steps
- Order thoroughly cooked sprouts.
- Leave raw sprout garnishes off pho, salads and sandwiches.
- Choose washed vegetables without raw sprouts when cooking cannot be confirmed.
When to contact a clinician
Contact your prenatal clinician if you ate a food discussed here and feel unwell, have been told you have a higher-risk pregnancy, or need advice for your individual circumstances. Seek urgent medical care for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms.
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bean sprouts · All foods →Sources and editorial context
The food advice and preparation steps draw on the references below. Follow the links if you would like to read the original guidance in full.
Can I Eat Editorial Team. Published for readers in United States. Content last updated 2026-09-15.
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