Fermented Foods in Pregnancy: Safe, Essential, and Empowering

April 24, 2025 • fermented food • Ferments at Home • Gut Health • Kimchi

Fermented Foods & Pregnancy: What Every Mama Needs to Know
GoodBugs: A Taste Adventure—Even Before Birth

At the farmers’ markets, I often get asked a question that really hits close to home:
"Is it safe to eat fermented foods while pregnant?"
The short answer? Absolutely. But there’s more to it than just safety—fermented foods can actually be one of the best things you include in your pregnancy nutrition.

1. Your Gut Microbiome Gets Passed On to Your Baby

Your baby inherits your gut microbiome. It’s passed on during birth and even while you're pregnant. So it makes sense that you’d want your microbiome to be in the best possible shape.

That means:

Eating a variety of fermented foods
Including prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics in your diet
Avoiding sugar and alcohol
Eating some soil-based bacteria and other beneficial strains like Bifidobacteria

Ideally, both parents are thinking about gut health at least 3 to 6 months before conception. That gives your gut time to flourish—so your baby can inherit a robust, balanced microbiome. The benefits? Lower chances of eczema, allergies, and autoimmune issues early in life. My advice? Enjoy that kimchi while you’re pregnant—babies aren’t often big fans of chilli coming through in breast milk!

I’ve seen the impact of gut health first hand with my own four kids. My journey into this business was sparked by my own problems with digestion—issues like constipation, gas, insulin resistance, and PCOS and tooth decay. Each of my four children experienced different food sensitivities and the eczema that often came with them—everything from eggs and dairy to soy, yeast, shellfish, and even chlorine. Looking back, I wish I’d understood more about the power of gut health before they were conceived. I had hoped to be more intentional about my microbiome for my last pregnancy—my “Super Baby” plan—but life had other ideas, and he was conceived a little earlier than expected. Thankfully, by the time he was born I’d learned how to support their growing bodies with nutrient-dense foods, and today, they’re nearly free of allergies ( except seafood) and eczema.

2. Fermented Foods Are Incredibly Safe

There’s a misconception floating around that fermented foods might be risky during pregnancy. But the truth is, they’re some of the safest foods you can eat.

Historically, there is a myth that people drank fermented beverages like beer because you can't make beer with contaminated water. The same principles apply to veggie ferments like sauerkraut and kimchi.

Here’s why:

Salt creates an environment where bad bugs can't grow
Low pH from fermentation acidifies the product, making it hostile to pathogens
Lactic acid bacteria are naturally protective
Refrigeration helps preserve these protective probiotics

I call this the superfecta of safety.

As part of our Food Control Plan (required by MPI in NZ), I’ve done extensive research and lab testing. Our products have been tested at up to 14 months post-fermentation with zero pathogens detected. That’s a big deal.

3. Home Ferments Are Just as Safe

There’s no magical safety difference between our commercial sauerkraut and the one you make at home. If it looks, smells, and tastes right—it is right.

Here’s what matters:

Clean equipment
Salt and time
No exposure to air (keep it under the liquid in an anaerobic environment)
A sour taste (you can taste when the pH has dropped)

The only thing I do, that you might not, is measure the pH with a digital tester—but your taste buds work too!

4. What About Cheese and Other Ferments?

Some soft cheeses and dairy ferments can carry slightly more risk due to higher pH, protein content, and different storage needs. But vegetable ferments—like sauerkraut and kimchi—have almost no risk, with the only minor issue sometimes being a bit of harmless but funky-smelling kham yeast (white and powdery like the outside of brie cheese, which you’ll notice and likely discard anyway).

5. Starting Baby on Ferments? Go for It!

Many of our customers start introducing their babies to fermented foods using sauerkraut juice mixed into veggie purées. It’s a brilliant way to help baby’s microbiome develop right from the start.

Final Thoughts

Fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut aren’t just safe during pregnancy—they’re incredibly beneficial for both you and your baby. Whether you're trying to conceive, already pregnant, or thinking ahead to support your child’s health from day one, adding fermented foods to your diet is a great place to start. If you're pregnant and only just discovering kimchi or sauerkraut, start small—a teaspoon on the side of your dinner is a perfect beginning.

If this post helps even one mama-to-be feel more confident including ferments in her meals, then I’ll be so happy. Got questions? Pop by and have a chat with us at the markets. 💚 or drop me an email at mareaverry@gmail.com

GoodBugs: a taste adventure, for every stage of life.