Pregnancy requires us to be as careful as we can be about what we put in our bodies. Everything we eat is going to directly or indirectly affect our baby- either impacting its development or impacting our ability to rear the child in our womb. Naturally, there are a lot of restrictions imposed on the pregnant woman’s diet. Paradoxically, however, this is the time that most women get an unusual craving for fast food, which is, to be frank, quite natural. And we can but not talk of burgers when we talk of fast foods. So, if you are pregnant, you are likely salivating day and night thinking of delicious burgers you could be sinking your teeth into, and at the same time worrying about how this not-so-healthy food would factor in your pregnancy. To put your mind at ease, read on.
In very small quantities
First of all, since there is no way of softening the blow, let’s get the record straight. There is little in the way of nutritional value that we can hope to get from our burgers, pregnant or not. With that in mind, we certainly should no overindulge in burgers and eat them every day, but there is really no harm in eating a couple of burgers a month. After all, a burger does not have to be bought from the deli or from a fast food chain using questionable ingredients; a delicious burger can just as easily be whipped up at home. And of course, eating a few too many burgers will eventually lead to weight gain and other related problems, which is extremely unhealthy during pregnancy.
Make one at home
The best thing to do, of course, is to make a burger at home. Get ground beef that is freshly prepared, and get it in small amounts, so that you don’t have to leave it sitting in the refrigerator for long periods. The meat must be thoroughly cooked, and the burger should be eaten while it is still piping hot. The buns should be fresh as well, and the cheese you put in can only be the hard variety. All this precaution is taken to ensure that the ingredients do not start playing host to salmonella, which can lead to a deadly food poisoning it is extremely harmful in pregnancy.
Place customized orders
If cooking up a burger at home is not your thing, and you are craving for a particular brand, the best thing to do would be to mention specific instructions while placing your orders. Most fast food chains today would cater to a pregnant customer with required customizations, so you can certainly ask for your ground beef patty to be extra cooked, extra fresh, and delivered piping hot (this is essential). You can also ask them to be careful with the cheese, opting for hard cheeses that are newly processed, and be generous with the lettuce and tomatoes, to get some nutrition into your system.
Also read: Can I eat pizza during pregnancy?
If you are vegetarian or a vegan and craving burgers, fret not. Menus are adventurous nowadays, and there are soya and veggie stuffed burgers that are equally delicious. If your local chain does not cater to all tastes, simply make one at home by adding the ingredients of your choice.