So you're growing a tiny human AND craving a juicy steak? I get it. Your body is working overtime, and sometimes nothing hits the spot like a perfectly cooked piece of beef. But before you fire up that grill, let's talk about what's safe for you and your precious cargo.
The Rare Steak Dilemma
Your pregnancy immune system is basically on vacation right now (it's busy doing other important things, like not rejecting your baby). This means you're more susceptible to stuff like listeria and toxoplasmosis that can hang out in undercooked meat.
The FDA says pregnant folks need steak cooked to at least 145°F (62.78°C). What does that mean in real-world terms? Here's your pregnancy steak cheat sheet:
- Blue (115-120°F): This one still might be mooing
- Rare (120-130°F): This is in the FDA hard pass zone
- Medium-rare (130-140°F): Getting close to FDA guidelines
- Medium (140-150°F): This falls in the FDA range
- Medium-well (150-156°F): Fully in the safe zone
- Well-done (160-210°F): Chef's are mad but this is safe
"But I Accidentally Ate Medium Steak! Am I Doomed?"
One medium steak isn't likely to cause harm. Pregnancy isn't black and white – there's plenty of gray area – and the odds are in your favor that your steak was fine. If you start feeling nauseous, have vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, or flu-like symptoms, check in with your doc.
Bottom Line
Keep in mind, there's a difference between a steak and ground beef when it comes to bacteria risk. With a steak, only the outside typically harbors bacteria, and that part gets cooked even when the inside stays pink. Ground beef is a whole other story since the potentially contaminated outside bits get mixed throughout (hello, bacteria party!). Knowing this might help dial down your steak worry, but if it's really sending you, just cook it a little longer.
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