If you’re looking into how to prepare placenta for eating, common approaches include cooking it, eating it raw, blending it into a smoothie, or having it encapsulated. Encapsulation commonly involves steaming and dehydrating the placenta before it is put into capsules. [1][2]
These options differ in form: for example, a smoothie is blended, while capsules are taken as pills. [1] The method you’re considering may shape what you ask a preparer to do, so get a clear description of the steps rather than relying on a label such as “capsules.”
No preparation method establishes that eating the placenta is beneficial or risk-free. [3] A familiar food format or a processed capsule should not be taken as proof of a health benefit or a guarantee of safety. Before making arrangements, focus on understanding how the chosen option is prepared and what questions you want answered. The rest of this article looks at how methods differ and what to ask before choosing one.
What should you know before choosing a method?
Before choosing how to prepare your placenta for eating, discuss your plan with your healthcare professional and ask how the placenta will be handled, stored, and processed. This gives you a chance to raise personal or newborn health concerns before you make arrangements, and to understand what the preparation process can and cannot tell you about safety.
Talk with your care team first
Bring up the plan before delivery, when you have time to ask questions and consider your options. Be especially clear about any health concerns for you or your newborn; if you are unsure what details matter, describe your situation and ask what your clinician recommends. Your care team can help you consider whether to proceed, but you should not treat a preparation method as proof that the result is safe.
You can also ask what the method can and cannot establish about safety. For example, ask whether the steps used can rule out contamination or other concerns, rather than assuming that a particular form of preparation settles the question. Capsules are not automatically safer just because they are processed into that form.
Understand the handling plan
Before agreeing to a preparation, ask who will handle the placenta and who will process it. Ask how it will be stored between delivery and processing, and what steps the person uses to reduce contamination risk. If you cannot get clear answers, pause before making a decision.
You might ask the preparer to walk you through the process from collection to the finished preparation. For example: “Who handles it first, where is it stored, and what do you do to reduce the chance of contamination?” A clear explanation can help you understand what is being done, but it should not be treated as a guarantee of safety.
Keep benefit claims in perspective
Do not assume that a particular preparation has proven health benefits. A claim that one method is beneficial is not, by itself, evidence that it will help you; ask your healthcare professional how to think about any claims you hear. If you are not comfortable with the answers, you can wait or decide against eating the placenta.
How do the preparation methods differ?
The main difference is how each method processes the placenta and what form you consume. Encapsulation turns it into capsules after steaming and dehydrating; cooked preparations are eaten as food, while raw preparations and smoothies are different options to discuss with your clinician. [1][2][3][4]
Method | Processing | Finished form |
|---|---|---|
Encapsulation | Steamed and dehydrated [2] | |
Cooked preparation | ||
Raw preparation | Eaten without cooking [3] | Raw placenta [3] |
Smoothie | Blended into a smoothie [1] | A drink [1] |
Encapsulation involves several processing steps before the placenta is put into capsules, unlike cooked or raw preparations, which are consumed as food. [1][2][3][4] Smoothies offer another format, but they remain a distinct preparation choice. [1] These differences describe the process and format; they do not guarantee that any method is risk-free.
If you are considering cooked placenta, ask your clinician and preparer about the process rather than relying on an unverified recipe or temperature. For raw preparations or smoothies, make those specific options part of the conversation with your clinician instead of assuming they are safe. The choice is not only about convenience: consider which form you are comfortable discussing and what steps the preparer uses for that method.
How to decide what to do with your placenta
Name the form you are considering. Decide whether you are thinking about a cooked preparation, raw use, a smoothie, or capsules. These options differ in how the placenta is served or processed, so be clear about the form you want to discuss. [1] For example, you might ask about a cooked dish rather than simply saying you want the placenta prepared.
Check in with your healthcare professional before making arrangements. Ask whether there are personal or newborn-related considerations that should shape your decision. Bring up the specific form you are considering, and ask what to do if your circumstances change before delivery. Keep this conversation focused on your own care rather than relying on a preparer to answer health questions.
Ask the preparer to walk you through the process. Request a plain explanation of how the placenta will be handled, stored, processed, and packaged. For example, ask what happens between receiving it and handing you the finished food or capsules, and how it will be kept separate from other materials. If an answer is unclear, ask for the steps in order before agreeing to anything.
Plan for questions or concerns after you consume it. Before you decide, ask your healthcare professional whom to contact and what guidance to follow if you feel unwell or have concerns. Make sure you know how to reach your care team, and follow its advice rather than trying to assess a concern based only on the preparation method.
Pause if you are not comfortable with the answers. You do not have to proceed just because you have already asked a preparer or made arrangements. If the process is unclear, or you remain uneasy after discussing it with your healthcare professional, choose not to consume the placenta. A decision you feel comfortable with is a reasonable outcome.
What questions should you ask a preparer?
Ask the preparer to walk you through each step, from receiving the placenta to handling the finished preparation, and explain what the process can and cannot tell you about safety. Clear, specific answers can help you decide whether you are comfortable proceeding.
Ask for the steps, not just the method name
Start with: “What exact steps do you use for the method I’m considering?” Ask what happens in order, what equipment is used, and how the finished preparation is packaged. For example, if you are considering capsules, ask the preparer to describe each processing step rather than assuming that the word “encapsulation” tells you the full process. Steaming and dehydrating are commonly described steps for capsule preparation. [2]
If you are considering a cooked or raw approach, ask the preparer to describe that specific process too. Those are among the ways people may prepare placenta, but the method name alone does not explain how it will be handled. [3]
Ask how it is handled and kept separate
Ask when the preparer receives the placenta, how it is stored before processing, and how it is transported if it is not processed right away. Ask for a plain explanation of how they prevent cross-contamination and keep your placenta separate from other materials during processing and packaging. If an answer is vague, ask them to explain what they do in practice.
Ask what the process cannot promise
Avoid accepting a confident-sounding label as a substitute for a clear explanation of limits.
Bring your questions about your own health and your baby’s situation to your healthcare professional. You can share the preparer’s exact process and ask what concerns, if any, you should consider before deciding. If you leave the conversation unsure, you can pause rather than agree on the spot.
What preparation mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid treating any preparation step as proof that placenta is safe to eat. Steaming, cooking, drying, or putting it into capsules may change how it is prepared, but you should not assume that any one of those steps removes every concern.
An informal recipe is not a substitute for careful handling advice. A recipe might describe ingredients and cooking steps without explaining how the placenta was handled beforehand or whether the process addresses contamination. If someone shares a recipe in a parenting group, treat it as an idea—not as a safety plan.
Convenience can also make a choice feel easier than it is. For example, a ready-made capsule may seem simpler than preparing food at home, but convenience alone does not answer your safety questions. Keep the decision focused on what you understand about the process and what you feel comfortable with.
Claims about benefits should not take the place of a conversation with your care team. If a friend says a preparation helped them, that personal experience does not tell you whether the same choice is right for you. Bring specific questions to your clinician rather than relying on anecdotes or a preparer’s assurances.
You can pause if you do not have clear answers. You do not need to commit to a method just because you have already made arrangements or because others recommend it. Choose the option that leaves you comfortable with the information you have, and ask your care team for guidance when you are uncertain.
Choose a method only after checking the process
The key is to choose a preparation only after you understand how it will be handled and processed. Placenta may be prepared cooked or raw, or made into capsules after steaming and dehydrating. [1][2][3] Those options involve different steps, so ask the preparer to describe the specific process rather than relying on a method name alone.
Before arranging anything, talk through your decision with your healthcare professional. You can explain the option you are considering—for example, cooked food or capsules—and ask whether they have guidance for your situation. Then ask the preparer to walk you through what happens from the time they receive the placenta to when the preparation is ready.
Keep the conversation concrete: ask who handles the placenta, how it is processed, and how the finished preparation is packaged. If an answer is vague, ask for clarification before you make arrangements. You do not need to decide on the spot; taking time to understand the process can help you make a choice that feels right for you.
If you cannot get clear answers, or you still feel unsure after discussing it with your healthcare professional, you can decide not to eat the placenta. Your next step can simply be to pause, talk with your care team, and make no arrangements until you feel comfortable with your decision.