We have already covered vegetables, fruit and fish during pregnancy in other article content. However, what about meat ? Can we eat chicken while pregnant? You are lost and do not understand what you can or cannot eat during your pregnancy. What is recommended and what is restricted. We will talk about with you whether you can eat chicken when pregnant, the potential risks and benefits of eating meat during pregnancy.
Are we allowed to eat chicken while pregnant?
The question of whether or not you can eat meat during pregnancy happens frequently. So can we eat chicken when we are pregnant? The answer is usually YES. Nevertheless, it will be necessary to take various measures in order to be able to eat them without any risk.
What will be the risks of eating chicken while pregnant and what precautions can be taken?
What are the risks of eating chicken when pregnant?
The two principal risks associated with meat during pregnancy are toxoplasmosis and listeriosis.
Toxoplasmosis will be a pathology related to a parasite that is present in soil and meat. Some women will find themselves already protected, others will not. You know this from the beginning of your pregnancy, through the blood test that the doctor will have you do. If you are protected, you don’t have to protect yourself from toxoplasmosis and therefore you will not have to be concerned about the following recommendations. If you don’t have the antibodies, then you have to follow various rules. First of all, to be able to eat chicken while pregnant, it will be necessary to be sure that the meat is well cooked. You shouldn’t eat raw, dried, smoked or marinated meat. The toxoplasmosis parasite are not killed during cooking. To eat meat during pregnancy , it will have to be cooked thoroughly. This problem can also be transmitted by cats, fruits or vegetables through soil residues.
Listeriosis will be related to a bacterium, usually present in cheese and meat. When the mother eat this bacteria, it could be transmitted to the baby. The symptoms appear to be a fever that will usually go undetected. The risks are spontaneous abortion, meningitis or bacterial infection in the baby. To protect yourself from listeriosis, buy dairy products made from pasteurized products, cook meat thoroughly and do not eat raw seafood or shellfish.
What are the precautions to take before eating chicken while pregnant?
After touching risky foods, you have to wash your hands, do not rub your eyes and rinse your kitchen utensils carefully. Separate raw, cooked and ready-to-eat foods well in your fridge. Leftover dishes will need to be warmed up thoroughly.
The only main instruction is to heat the meat thoroughly before eating it, do not eat liver, raw, smoked or dried meat. Now you find out why you can eat chicken pregnant.
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What are the nutrient intakes when you eat chicken when you are pregnant?
Meat will provide mainly protein and iron. It appears essential during pregnancy. You will indeed benefit from eating meat twice a week, so eating chicken while pregnant will be beneficial for your iron intake.
For vegans or vegetarians, consider eating different foods to bring this iron, such as vegetables, starchy foods such as lentils, fish, aromatic herbs. The precautions are going to be the same, wash fruits and vegetables well before eating them. Do not eat raw fish.
If you would like more information about food during pregnancy, click on the link below: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/healthy-pregnancy-diet/
Conclusion
Eating chicken when pregnant will not be prohibited, but make sure the meat is very well cooked.
