Pickles is one of the classic foods that tempts every pregnant woman. In some cases, pickles satisfy their need for spicy food, while in other cases they help in prevention of morning sickness. Eating the tangy pickle on a daily basis is not recommended. You can eat it on occasional basis to avoid any cravings etc. In this article, we will tell you whether it is beneficial or not to eat pickles in pregnancy.
How Safe Is It To Eat Pickles In Pregnancy?
One of the commonest cravings in pregnant woman is pickle. It is alright to have it in little amounts to curb your excessive craving. You need to know that it contains no nutrients in it and so it is not a healthy addition to your diet.
A slice of pickle has no protein in it. only has fat and cholesterol and provides 0.1% of your daily carb intake. Pickles have low amounts of calcium, and dietary fiber in it. Pickle juice has plenty of sodium, and vitamin C. It also contains traces of potassium. Having pickles along with your meal gives you the benefits of its probiotic qualities.
As long as you are eating it in moderation, it wont harm you as well as your unborn baby. If you don’t find any adverse reaction to it, then you can enjoy it on an occasional basis.
Health Benefits of Consuming Pickles In Pregnancy
Here are some of the benefits of eating pickles with your meal.
- Due to high potassium and sodium content, pickles help in maintaining the right electrolyte balance in the body.
- Pickles contain healthy bacteria that stimulates the digestion of food. Eating pickles also helps in getting rid of digestive troubles.
- Pickles help in fighting off free radicals in the body.
- Pickles are loaded with antioxidant that helps in protecting body against free radicals.
- Due to presence of various healthy fruits, and vegetables, pickles are a good source of essential vitamins, and minerals that boosts the immune system of a woman.
Risk of Eating Pickles In Pregnancy
- Pickles have high salt content in it. It is added to enhance its taste, and work as an anti-microbial agent, to help in protecting it from yeast, bacteria, and fungi.
- Excess consumption of pickles in pregnancy can result in gestational hypertension. This condition can, in turn, become the cause for life-threatening conditions such as stroke, and heart attack in a person.
- Pickles are made by adding a lot of oil in it. This makes them high in cholesterol, and fat content. Pickles can also be spicy and contain artificial preservatives, and color that when eaten in excess can lead to digestive issues in a woman.
the acidic nature of pickles can cause heartburn - High amount of salt in pickles can raise your blood pressure levels. This can in turn result in causing undesired complications in pregnancy
Due to these risks, they should be consumed in minimum amounts.
Precautions while consuming Pickles
Below are some of the precautionary measures that you need to follow when craving for pickles in pregnancy:
- As over consumption of pickles can cause dehydration in the body, it is important to drink plenty of water and fluids to keep yourself adequately hydrated. Water will help in balancing out the sodium levels in the body.
- Women who are susceptible to gastritis, should avoid consuming pickles in pregnancy.
- Refrain from consuming spicy pickle as it has the ability to trigger digestive issues, and dysentery such as acidity, and heartburn.
- The high sodium content in pickles can impair the development of the foetus.
- Chemical preservatives in pickles can lead to complications in pregnancy.
- Go for unsweetened variety of pickles over sweet pickles in order to prevent any probable increase in weight gain.
- Limit the amount of pickles as too much of pickle can be harmful for you as well as your growing fetus.
- Always read the label carefully before you buy it. Ensure that it does not have a lot of chemical preservatives in it.
- Before you add it to your diet, make sure you consult your doctor before eating it.
- Homemade pickles have possibilities of “listeria” bacteria in it that can cause undesirable harm to your body.
Also read: Can I eat Mexican food during pregnancy?
Conclusion
Pickle will not cause any harm to you as long as you eat it occasionally in little amounts. It is important to speak to the doctor about the right amount of pickle that you can include in your diet. Diluting the people in water, is good way to consume it.