Pregnancy is a time rife with a million mood swings, discomforts, and anxieties. Needless to say, every woman craves comfort during these nine months, and what can give you better comfort than the ultimate comfort food, pizza? And it is fairly easy to get it, too; you can order them from anywhere, and also whip up your own version at home with whatever toppings catches your fancy at the moment. And it looks pretty healthy, too, especially if you choose the right toppings and the right amount of cheese. And that, in fact, is what you are looking at during those nine months. Most of the things you have loved all your life will still be within reach, with slight modifications and omissions. And that includes pizza as well.
In this article, let us find out how and when this great Italian-origin dish can be made baby bump-friendly.
It’s quite healthy
Pizza, in fact, is quite a healthy dish if you don’t go overboard with thee cheeses. The great part about pizza is that almost anything goes as a topping, so pregnancy is the right time to gorge on those delicious, super-healthy pizzas you always wanted but were too lazy to make. Throw in a healthy mix of vegetables and meat, out in some eggs and some mozzarella and you are good to go. One serving of pizza loaded with vegetables and meat will give you ample proteins, vitamins, and other essential nutrients.
Cooking is the key
It is not a good idea to eat anything that is raw or frozen during your pregnancy. Raw and frozen foods are usually teeming with bacteria that can be potentially harmful by giving you food poisoning. Parasites grow in food the longer they remain raw and/or frozen, and these parasites can harm both the other and the baby. So make sure that the meats and vegetables you put in the pizza, along with the pizza bread and cheese, are all thoroughly cooked. And consume them while they are still piping hot because that is the time the food contains the least amount of parasites.
Avoid ordering out
Sure, you might not want the hassle of making a pizza from scratch, especially when a delicious doorstep delivery is just a phone call away. But remember, you have no control over how the pizza is being made in the kitchen of the restaurant. You may be served old pizza, fresh pizza with old toppings, or a completely fresh item made in a very unclean kitchen. You can have control over your own pizza if you make it in your own kitchen. Moreover, you don’t have to worry about the toppings; as mentioned before, almost anything in your refrigerator will serve fine as a pizza topping.
Choose the right cheese
Using mozzarella and cheddar on your cheeses is completely safe. But remember not to go overboard as too much cheese can impart a strong flavor to the pizza which might induce nausea. However, at all costs avoid soft cheeses, like brie and camembert, and gorgonzola. Soft cheeses are mold-ripened, and often contain visible strands of mold, like the Danish blue cheese. These cheeses contain a thriving listeria population, which might cause listeriosis, which is a rare disease characterized by premature births and even miscarriages.
Choose fish toppings carefully
A lot of fish are quite high in mercury content, which makes the eater come under risk of mercury poisoning. Mercury can be harmful to the development of the baby, and also pose a considerable threat to the mother. Saltwater fish, in particular, are rich in mercury, so make sure you avoid them as toppings in your pizza. Shellfish are also not a good choice, so are prawns, both of which are host to a number of parasites, including listeria.
Speak to your doctor
Cheeses and toppings in pizza might trigger an allergic reaction even if you have not had any such symptoms so far. It is best to get an allergy test done before you give in to your desire to have some pizza. Besides, there might be some weight management issues that the cheese might aggravate.
Being pregnant definitely imposes a lot of restrictions on your life, but that does not mean the end of the world. Just because you are pregnant does not mean you have to say goodbye to something as great as pizza for nine months; what it means is that you have to be careful. Ask your doctor for a comprehensive diet chart, and whip up a delicious pizza in accordance.