Can you eat laksa while pregnant?
Check firstYes, as long as the seafood is fully cooked and the bowl arrives steaming. The part to leave out is blood cockles, which are often barely warmed through before they hit the broth.
Why
Laksa broth boils, and shrimp, fish cake, tofu puffs and noodles that simmer in it are properly cooked. The weak point is the cockles that many curry laksa bowls come with, added at the last second so they stay tender. The NHS is clear that raw and lightly cooked shellfish should be avoided in pregnancy because of Vibrio, norovirus and other causes of food poisoning, while thoroughly cooked shellfish is fine and a good source of protein. Mercury is not a concern here: the fish in asam laksa is usually mackerel or sardine and the shellfish is shrimp, all of which the FDA lists among its Best Choices for pregnancy. Takeaway laksa should be reheated until the broth is actually bubbling, not just warm.
Safer alternatives
- Curry laksa ordered with chicken and tofu puffs instead of cockles
- Shrimp laksa with the shrimp asked for well cooked
- Vegetarian laksa with tofu, mushrooms and long beans
- A hot bowl of chicken pho if you want the same comfort without the shellfish question
Sources
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-types/fish-and-shellfish-nutrition/
- FDA https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish
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
Can I eat the cockles in laksa if they look cooked?
Cockles are safe when they have been cooked until the shells open fully and the flesh is hot all the way through. The problem is that most laksa stalls drop them in at the very end so they stay soft. Easiest move is to order the bowl without them.
Is the coconut milk in laksa safe during pregnancy?
Yes. Canned and carton coconut milk is heat treated, and in laksa it is simmered on top of that. It is rich and high in saturated fat, but it carries no pregnancy risk.
Does the fish in asam laksa have too much mercury?
No. Asam laksa is built on mackerel or sardine, both of which the FDA rates as Best Choices, alongside shrimp. You can eat 8 to 12 ounces of low mercury fish a week, so a bowl of laksa fits comfortably. King mackerel is the one to avoid, and it is not what goes into laksa.
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