Can you eat bone broth while pregnant?
SafeYes, bone broth is safe during pregnancy. Heat it until it steams before you drink it, since Listeria is the one bacterium that keeps growing in the fridge.
Why
Bone broth is bones and water held at a simmer for hours, far hotter and far longer than anything Listeria, Salmonella, or Campylobacter survives, so the pot itself is not a pregnancy risk. The risk, when there is one, comes afterwards: Listeria keeps multiplying at refrigerator temperature, so broth that has sat chilled for days, or an opened carton of store-bought broth, needs to come back up to steaming hot. The CDC makes that exact point to pregnant women about chilled ready to eat foods, and FoodSafety.gov puts reheated leftovers at 165°F. Heated properly, broth is one of the kindest things to eat while pregnant: warm, salty, and easy on a stomach that wants nothing else.
Safer alternatives
- Kettle & Fire or Swanson cartons, poured into a pan and heated until steaming
- Better Than Bouillon base stirred into boiling water
- Miso paste in just-boiled water for the same savory, salty hit
Sources
- CDC https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/prevention/index.html
- FoodSafety.gov (FDA) https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures
Every verdict follows our sourcing methodology: official health guidelines only, most cautious position when they differ.
Last reviewed by the pregAI editorial team.
Frequently asked questions
Is store-bought bone broth safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Shelf cartons and jars are heat treated and sealed, so the broth inside is safe. Once opened, treat it as a fridge food: use it within three or four days and heat it until it steams.
Can I drink bone broth cold?
Heat it first. Listeria grows at fridge temperature, which is why the CDC asks pregnant women to reheat chilled ready to eat foods until they are steaming hot. A minute in a saucepan or ninety seconds in the microwave does it.
How long does homemade bone broth last in the fridge?
Three to four days in a sealed container, then freeze it or throw it out. Frozen, it keeps for months, and reheating it in a pan takes it well past the 165°F mark.
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