Can you eat eel (unagi) while pregnant?
In moderationYes, up to two portions a week. Unagi is always grilled until fully cooked, and eel counts as an oily fish, so it sits under the same two portions a week cap as salmon, mackerel and sardines.
Why
The NHS lists eel among the oily fish, and oily fish accumulate pollutants such as dioxins and PCBs in their flesh, which is why pregnant people are told to keep total oily fish to no more than two portions a week rather than avoiding it. Cooking is not the issue here: unagi is served kabayaki style, split, grilled and glazed over high heat, so there is no raw fish sitting on the rice and no Listeria or parasite concern of the kind that comes with sashimi. Within that weekly limit, eel brings real omega-3s, protein and vitamin D, so it is a genuinely good thing to have on the menu.
Safer alternatives
- Ebi (cooked shrimp) nigiri
- Tamago, the cooked sweet egg nigiri
- Cucumber, avocado or pickled radish maki
- A California roll made with cooked surimi
- Chicken teriyaki donburi instead of unadon once you have used your two portions
Sources
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/fish-and-shellfish-nutrition/
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
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 unagi raw like other sushi?
No, eel is never served raw. It is butterflied, grilled over charcoal and brushed with a sweet soy glaze, then often grilled again, so what reaches your plate is fully cooked fish.
Does eel count toward my two oily fish portions?
Yes. Eel goes in the same weekly budget as salmon, trout, mackerel, herring and sardines, so an unadon lunch and a piece of grilled salmon at dinner on another day together use up the week's two portions.
How much is one portion?
A portion is roughly 140g of cooked fish, about the size of your palm. A typical unadon bowl is around one portion, while two or three pieces of unagi nigiri are considerably less.
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