Eel sushi, known as unagi, is one of the safer sushi options during pregnancy because the eel is always fully cooked before serving. Unlike most sushi toppings, unagi is grilled or broiled at high temperatures and glazed with sauce, so it doesn’t carry the same raw-fish risks that make other sushi off-limits. That said, there are a few specific concerns worth understanding before you order.
Why Unagi Is Different From Raw Sushi
Most pregnancy warnings about sushi focus on raw fish, which can harbor parasites and bacteria that pose serious risks during pregnancy. Unagi sidesteps this problem entirely. Commercial eel is pre-cooked, typically steamed and then grilled or broiled, before it ever reaches the sushi counter. The finished product easily exceeds the 145°F internal temperature that food safety guidelines require for fish.
There’s also a practical reason eel is never served raw. Eel blood contains a protein toxin that causes cramping, nausea, and in larger exposures, more serious reactions. Cooking completely breaks down this toxin, which is why every culinary tradition that serves eel cooks it thoroughly first. You won’t find raw eel at any reputable sushi restaurant.
Mercury and Chemical Contaminants
While cooking makes eel safe from a pathogen standpoint, chemical contaminants are a separate issue. Eel is a fatty, bottom-dwelling fish, and fat-soluble pollutants like PCBs tend to accumulate in its tissue. A study of wild European eels across 48 sites in Belgium found that 71% of locations had PCB levels exceeding legal limits for consumption. The researchers concluded that regular consumption of wild-caught eel poses real health risks, particularly for people who eat it frequently.
Farm-raised eel, which is what most sushi restaurants use (especially for Japanese-style unagi), generally carries a much lower contaminant burden than wild-caught eel. Still, the fatty tissue that makes eel rich and flavorful is the same tissue that stores these pollutants, so moderation matters.
Several European food safety agencies specifically list eel among the fish that pregnant women should limit to about 150 grams (roughly 5 ounces) per week. That’s approximately two standard sushi servings. Mercury is a lesser concern with eel compared to fish like swordfish or king mackerel, but the PCB issue makes portion control worthwhile.
Vitamin A: An Overlooked Concern
Eel is unusually high in preformed vitamin A (retinol), which is one detail most sushi safety guides miss. Excessive retinol intake during pregnancy is linked to birth defects, and the tolerable upper limit is set at 3,000 micrograms per day for women 19 and older, or 2,800 micrograms for those under 19. A single 100-gram serving of freshwater eel can contain over 1,000 micrograms of retinol, which is a substantial chunk of that daily ceiling.
This doesn’t make an occasional unagi roll dangerous. But if you’re also taking a prenatal vitamin that contains retinol (check whether yours lists “preformed vitamin A” or “retinyl palmitate”), eating eel multiple times a week could push you closer to the limit than you’d expect.
Cross-Contamination at the Sushi Bar
The one raw-fish risk that does apply to unagi has nothing to do with the eel itself. At a sushi counter, the same chef handling raw salmon and tuna may also be assembling your cooked eel roll. Cutting boards, knives, and hands can transfer bacteria from raw fish to cooked items if hygiene isn’t tight.
You can reduce this risk by paying attention to how the kitchen operates. Look for chefs who change gloves between handling raw and cooked items, or who use separate cutting boards. Restaurants with high turnover and visible cleanliness practices are generally safer bets. If you’re ordering takeout and can’t observe the preparation, choosing a restaurant you trust and have eaten at before is a reasonable approach.
How Much Eel Is Reasonable
Keeping eel to one or two servings per week aligns with international guidelines that cap intake at 150 grams weekly during pregnancy. A typical unagi nigiri piece contains about 20 to 30 grams of eel, so even a full unagi sushi order of four to six pieces stays well within that range. An unagi roll uses a similar amount of fish.
Choosing farm-raised eel (which, again, is the standard at most Japanese restaurants) over wild-caught reduces your PCB exposure. And spacing out your eel meals rather than eating it several days in a row gives your body more time to process both the fat-soluble contaminants and the vitamin A.
Among all sushi options, fully cooked choices like unagi, shrimp tempura rolls, and cooked crab rolls are the safest picks during pregnancy. Unagi in particular offers substantial protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin D. Enjoyed in moderation, it’s one of the more nutrient-dense cooked sushi options available to you.