Spring Onions & Scallions

Spring onions — also called scallions, particularly in the US — are the young, mild-flavoured relative of the regular bulb onion, and they are completely safe to eat during pregnancy, whether raw in salads and garnishes or cooked in stir-fries, soups, and other dishes. They carry the same safety profile as regular onions: no pregnancy-specific risk, and they provide vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate. As with any raw vegetable, wash spring onions thoroughly before eating, particularly the white bulb end where soil can collect, to remove any traces of dirt or the Toxoplasma parasite that can occasionally be present in soil. Spring onions are often used raw as a garnish on Asian dishes, in salads, or as a topping on baked potatoes — all fine during pregnancy. If raw onion flavours are causing digestive discomfort or worsening heartburn (common in pregnancy), spring onions are generally milder than regular onions and often better tolerated, though cooking them briefly will reduce the sharpness further.