Can I have honey during my second trimester?

Many pregnant women are concerned about their diet during pregnancy, as well they should be. However they often have a hard time discerning which foods should be avoided due to science and those that are the product of bad advice and old wives tales. One contested item in the realm of pregnancy nutrition is honey. No, not the Maria Carey song of the same name which should be avoided in pretty much every circumstance, but rather the bee and nectar byproduct. While honey should not be ingested by children, it is safe for both pregnant and nursing mothers. The reason that kids should avoid honey is that it may contain botulinum spores which could thrive in the low-acid digestive tracts of children. It is fine for pregnant and nursing women, though, as their more mature and acidic digestive systems will kill the spores.

Yes, you can. There is a fear of the spores in the honey and botulism causing bacteria but unlike a baby's, an adult's intestines are more acidic than a baby's and contain beneficial bacteria that prevent the spores from developing into botulism-causing bacteria. Adults, which includes pregnant women, are frequently exposed to botulism spores without becoming ill. Since any botulism spores present in honey will be killed in a pregnant woman's intestines, they can't reach her bloodstream or be passed on to her baby.