Pregnancy is a wonderful time. You are eagerly waiting to meet and hold your baby for the first time. You are positively glowing, what with all the hormones pumping through your system. And it seems as though all that weight loss diet you have struggled to stick to for so long can finally be pushed away, and for good reason too. But wait a minute… is it really true? Can you just go about and eat anything you like? You are a busy woman, juggling work, home, and now this pregnancy. So the best option for you, now more than ever, is takeout, right? Healthy takeout, that is. Subway has probably always been your savior, but come pregnancy, that may change.
A little Sub does no harm
Or will it? Actually, there is no reason why you should not be able to indulge in a couple of wonderful Subway sandwiches every now and then. You can easily choose a sub filled with wonderfully delicious and highly nutritious vegetables and meat, and you will be good to go. It is also important of course, to keep in mind that it is best to steer clear of too much cheese and mayonnaise; these substances, after all, will definitely lead to obesity and other related problems if ingested in immoderate amounts. If you avoid such high calorie items in the sub and opt instead for wholesome vegetables and meat in your sub, then there is no reason why you cannot have that for lunch a few days in a month.
Meaty stuff
What you need to be careful about while ordering a Subway sandwich is the meat that will go inside. Deli meats, as a rule, are a strict no-no for pregnant women. It is therefore recommended that you avoid sausages and salamis, and go instead for the fresh meats. In fact, Subways all over the world advise pregnant women to avoid luncheon meats, and opt for the non-luncheon meat options such as tuna, steak and cheese, roasted meats, and meatballs. You should steer clear of sandwich fillings of smoked meats and fish as well, and definitely never order for a cold cut sub, delicious as it may sound. Meat spreads and refrigerated pates are also strictly out of bounds of you are pregnant.
What about the cheese?
If you must have cheese along with your sub, it is best to go for a sprinkling of the hard cheeses instead of the softer ones. Opt for a base or topping of cheddar and mozzarella, and steer clear of Brie, camembert, panela, queso frisco, queso blanco, and blue veined cheeses. These are, in most cases, non-pasteurized, and therefore the host to a colony of parasites.
What are the risks?
Which brings us to our war on deli meats and soft cheeses. Such items are uncooked, partially cooked, or unpasteurized, which makes them home to a dangerous parasite called listeria. The pregnant woman is at greater risk of contracting an illness called listeriosis from eating such foods, and this illness can affect the baby in the womb, besides making the mother quite ill. Listeriosis can result in preterm deliveries, miscarriages, stillbirths, and fetal development issues due to infection.
Also read: Can I eat at KFC in pregnancy?
In conclusion, there is nothing to stop you from eating some Subway sandwiches during your pregnancy, as long as you make some concessions to your taste buds. Eat healthy and stay careful, and you can go back to most of these foods once you have safely delivered your baby.