# Prociutto, Serrano Ham and cured meats. Do you eat them?



## basilisa76 (Jul 31, 2007)

Hi All,
Today is Valentines Day and for 11 years now, my husband and I have always got into the bathtub with Champagne, Serrano Ham or Prociutto, Chesse and Bread and celebrated that way.

Champagne is out of the questions but do you guys feel OK eating Prociutto? It is a cured meat, not cooked and with all the buzz going on about not eating deli cuts, etc. I am afraid to get something if I eat it. I know that a lot of people (and doctors) say that the chance to get food poisoning is minimum (like the chances to get hit by a car) but what do you guys think????

My only option is to microwave the prociutto!!

Gigi







:


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## crazydiamond (May 31, 2005)

I'd eat it. . .but then again I wouldn't have any qualms about a glass of champagne either (assuming I was in the 2nd or 3rd trimester).

I'd be more worried about nitrate/nitrite-laden versions than the risk of bacterial contamination.

But that's just me.


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## basilisa76 (Jul 31, 2007)

Men, you just made my day with that comment


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## FiberLover (Feb 6, 2007)

I already have eaten it!

A bunch of times!

YUM!

(and, now I'm at 16 weeks, I'd probably have 1/2 glass of champagne too tonight if we had some....)


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## HidaShara (Jan 7, 2008)

I've been a Good Girl and avoided alcohol, caffeine, tuna and aspertame.... but the day I turn down Brie and Prociutto is the day hell freezes over and all the inhabitants go home.

Charlotte


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## 63977 (Sep 14, 2006)

I've had deli meats...now if only I can convince my mother, husband, and midwives to let me a good, very rare steak.


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## crazydiamond (May 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *basilisa76* 
Men, you just made my day with that comment









Enjoy your Valentine's Day! Sounds very romantic!


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## FiberLover (Feb 6, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HidaShara* 
I've been a Good Girl and avoided alcohol, caffeine, tuna and aspertame.... but the day I turn down Brie and Prociutto is the day hell freezes over and all the inhabitants go home.

Charlotte











That sounds about right







.

(I've had a single sip of a beer though).


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## Barcino (Aug 25, 2004)

Serrano Ham is nitrate free and I don't think carries listeria because it is cured ? I don't know - I am from Spain and EVERY PREGNANT WOMAN eats serrano over there














: It is way healthier than deli meats in my opinion and so yummy!


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## gingerbane (Jun 10, 2007)

Absolutely. I love Prociutto, and I would have a glass of champagne as well.


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## CellarDoor (Nov 22, 2005)

Yup...I ate salt-cured pork w/o nitrates/nitrites during my last pg. But then again, I drank raw milk, ate raw eggs, and enjoyed raw salmon sushi from time to time as well







I'm pretty picky about my sources, though!


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## Ironica (Sep 11, 2005)

Salt makes it REALLY hard for bad bugs to grow. ;-) That's how the whole pickling/curing process works!

I've eaten prosicutto several times this pregnancy, and never thought twice about it.


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## heidirk (Oct 19, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *HidaShara* 
I've been a Good Girl and avoided alcohol, caffeine, tuna and aspertame.... but the day I turn down Brie and Prociutto is the day hell freezes over and all the inhabitants go home.

Charlotte









:Me Too!


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## Klynne (Jan 1, 2007)

I don't have a problem saying yes to any of the things you mentiond.


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## so_blessed (Dec 24, 2007)

I would eat them! Sounds great!


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## Ilaria (Jan 14, 2002)

I'm Italian. I eat prosciutto all the time.







And I'd drink the campagne too....but prosecco is better.


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## basilisa76 (Jul 31, 2007)

Just to let you know guys, we sat in the bathtub with prociutto, serrano ham, manchego cheese, gouda and a couple other cheeses, grapes and crusty bread and we ate it all!







:

I microwaved some prociutto just because I was so afraid that something went wrong with the baby and I started eating it but after a few bites, I had to compare my brownish and salty thing with the beautiful meat my husband was having so I went for it!!!!









IT WAS A GREAT DINNER!!!









Thanks for all your comments, it just confirms my believe that eating this or that during pregnancy is totally cultural. In Japan, women eat sushi and raw fish as well as in Peru (where I am from... I am dying for a ceviche) In Italy and Spain no problem with Serrano and Prociutto....

Maybe it is the production system in the US that makes food dangerous?

Gigi


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## New_Natural_Mom (Dec 21, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *basilisa76* 
Maybe it is the production system in the US that makes food dangerous?

Gigi

It is more about a person's immune system. Women in those other countries are used to eating those things, so their systems can tolerate them and are not as susceptible to them. Women here typically don't eat those things, so their systems haven't been exposed to the micro-organisms associated with the items and are more likely to become ill. Just like if you travel to a new place and get sick from the food or water. People that live there eat/drink that all the time and are fine b/c their systems are used to it.


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## Qestia (Sep 26, 2005)

Good for you! It seems the reasons they advise against deli meats are nitrates and the risk of listeria (ditto that on soft cheeses). I looked into the numbers of listeria infections in the US and was underwhelmed, to say the least. No one is keeping my brie/feta/blue cheese from me! Puh-leeze. And last time I had wicked cravings for all kinds of meat (don't have much of an appetite this time around) and I still remember fondly the huge sub I had with prociutto, salami, etc. one day in my first pregnancy that was my second lunch. LOL. Glad you enjoyed it!


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## HidaShara (Jan 7, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *basilisa76* 
Thanks for all your comments, it just confirms my believe that eating this or that during pregnancy is totally cultural. In Japan, women eat sushi and raw fish as well as in Peru (where I am from... I am dying for a ceviche) In Italy and Spain no problem with Serrano and Prociutto....

Maybe it is the production system in the US that makes food dangerous?

Gigi

Mercury build-up in fish is a new phenomenon. It's generally the result of industrial pollution, and it's volitile - which means it spreads everywhere; it isn't a localized phenomenon. It's only recently that the levels of mercury have gotten high enough in some top-of-the-food-chain fish (like tuna) that some health agencies have warned against pregnant women consuming them.

Charlotte


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## basilisa76 (Jul 31, 2007)

Yes, I know about mercury but I think it also depends on the culture of the city/town, etc. In many countries people simply don't eat large fish like mackerel, shark, etc, the ones with highest mercury concentration because they are not available or they are considered delicacies and are not affordable, so there is no risk of people getting infected. It also has to do with the fish available in the area and the business practices. I doubt that in the Maldives the fish have a high concentration of mercury...

Gigi


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