pregnancy, spinich and food borne illness

[Fruitful4Him]

So, I am pregnant with my 6th LO and trying to make healthy choices...I really try to amp it up when pregnant for the baby's sake as much as my health for the birth and postpartum. I have started having a green smoothie each day to get my greens. Honestly, at this point in my life it is the only way I can be sure that I will get them. A few handfuls of baby spinich, organic yogurt, frozen fruit, water and a bit of agave necter. But I have been reading more about food borne illness and it seems like spinich is a risk for e coli sickness. How high is the risk? I had a friend who became very ill with ecoli that was later traced back to tainted spinich they had eaten, prior to birth, and it was actually passed along to baby...I don't recall mom being too sick as they didn't even know until hindsight I think, but baby became very ill and it was sad....so naturally, my mind is turning and wondering if I my good intentions are going to backfire... but I was sort of hoping that these leafy greens each day in the smoothie would help me have less chance of bleeding heavily after the birth, so I am obviously feeling conflicted here. Any research or feedback to soothe my anxieties?

[Sayward]

Well firstly, these foodborne illnesses are almost always the product of animal agriculture, so don't blame the spinach! When vegetables are tainted with something like E. coli, it's because the field where they grow is contaminated form run-off of a nearby animal farm.

I know that sprouts carry a higher risk of E. coli because they can't be washed the same as other veggies (they're too delicate). Other than that, you can't really predict which veggie will be the next big breakout, because like I said - it's not the veggie at all but where it's grown.

Long story short, wash your veggies thoroughly and try not worry about it. There's nothing inherent about spinach that makes it a better vector for disease. It is, however, an excellent 'vector' for nutrition. =)