4 possible risks when pregnant women eat bacon

For pregnant women, bacon is not a forbidden dish. However, if you are "addicted" to this dish, you need to understand the possible risks of eating during pregnancy.

Bacon is a European dish with the main ingredient of processed animal meat. Although processed through many stages, but this is still not safe food for pregnant women. What risks can this dish bring to pregnant women? Please join aFamilyToday Health to follow the shares below to know some more information about this food.

Risks when eating bacon during pregnancy

If pregnant women regularly eat bacon there is a risk of experiencing the following problems:

1. Bacterial infection

Due to physical changes, a pregnant woman's immune system is often much worse. Therefore, pregnant women are very easy to become the target of attacks of bacteria. Meanwhile, bacon often contains many harmful bacteria such as salmonella, listeria ... that can cause:

Preterm birth

Infection in a newborn

Miscarriage

Stillbirth

If properly cooked, these bacteria can be killed. Therefore, during pregnancy, if you want to eat bacon, cook it before you eat it.

2. Too much salt

Bacon is a food that contains a lot of salt (3 slices of meat contain about 700mg of salt) and sodium nitrite. This can have a negative effect on the health of pregnant women. The reason is that eating foods high in salt can make pregnant women more susceptible to high blood pressure , increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is recommended that pregnant women eat no more than 2,400mg of salt per day.)

3. Contains a lot of fat

Bacon is delicious, in part because it is high in saturated fat (3 slices of bacon contain more than 11g of fat). As recommended by the American Heart Association (American Heart Association) , every day, pregnant women should not consume more than 13g of saturated fat. Eating foods high in saturated fat can increase the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) in the blood, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke . In addition, a diet high in fat and calories can also lead to obesity.

4. Contains preservatives

Because they are processed foods, most bacon types often contain a lot of preservatives that can be stored for a long time and preserve the flavor of the food. During pregnancy, if pregnant women eat foods containing many preservatives, it can cause negative effects on the health of both mother and fetus.  

Benefits of eating bacon

If you cook bacon properly and eat in moderation, this dish still has a number of health benefits such as:

Bacon has high nutritional content with many vitamins and minerals that are good for pregnant women such as vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, magnesium, zinc ...

For people who do not like to eat fish, bacon can be an alternative food source to help supplement omega-3 for the body.

In addition, bacon is also rich in choline, good for memory and the development of the nervous system of the fetus. According to studies at the University of North Carolina , USA, if pregnant women do not get enough choline during pregnancy, the baby will be at risk of birth defects 4 times higher.

How to cook and handle bacon

Although bacon can cause many risks for pregnant women, if you know how to cook and handle, you can still eat this dish during pregnancy.

Choose to buy bacon

When choosing to buy bacon, you should:

Choose well-cooked meat

Priority is given to products manufactured by reputable and quality establishments

Watch carefully the expiry date indicated on the package, to avoid buying the product too "old" (expired).

Preserving bacon

Bacon should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature of about 4.4 ° C or below. If kept in the cooler, the shelf life is about 7 days. If you keep it in the freezer, it will last for a month.

Cook bacon

Before processing, pay attention to wash your hands. After processing, you should wash all tools that come into contact with meat during processing such as cutting boards, knives, dishes, dishes ... To ensure the safety of your health, you need to cook all kinds of meat. smoking at temperatures above 73.8 ° C before eating. You can put it in a pan and fry it well. 

Alternative options for bacon for pregnant women

Bacon is usually high in fat, salt and calories, and if eaten in excess, there are certain risks. Therefore, if you crave this dish during pregnancy, you can opt for soy bacon (vegetarian bacon). This is a food with no or very little saturated fat and only about 25 calories.

What should I do if I have a bacterial infection?

If you're not careful, you run the risk of getting listeriosis from eating bacon. When you are in this situation, you will have the following symptoms:

Stomach pain

Tired

Vomit

Fever

These symptoms often resemble symptoms of pregnancy. Therefore, if you have any doubts, see your doctor immediately. If there is a real infection, follow your doctor's instructions. In addition, you should also rest and drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.

In general, pregnant women can still enjoy bacon as long as it is thoroughly cooked. Avoid eating this dish outside because you are not sure if the meat has been thoroughly cooked or not. In addition, you should only eat in moderation, avoid overeating to reduce the risk of dangerous pregnancy complications .