Should pregnant women be eating mayonnaise?

Do you like sushi or egg salad? If you’re pregnant, you may need to avoid these foods, especially since you have to be twice as careful about your diet if you’re with child. Don’t risk your health by eating something that might make you sick, such as mayonnaise.

Why is mayonnaise dangerous for pregnant women?

Mayonnaise ranks high in the list of foods that pregnant women need to avoid because the condiment, especially homemade mayo, includes raw egg whites. Even if you’re not pregnant, you could get sick by eating anything made with raw eggs that may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria.

In most cases, only the mother will experience the symptoms of a Salmonella infection. These may include:

• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Nausea
• Stomach cramps
• Vomiting

Sometimes, a Salmonella infection can cause cramps in the uterus. In rare cases, these cramps may result in premature birth or stillbirth.

Other foods that are often made with raw eggs include:

• Cake icing
• Lightly scrambled eggs
• Poached eggs
• Hollandaise sauce
• Homemade ice cream
• Salad dressings

When you’re pregnant, you need to cook egg-based dishes thoroughly to avoid Salmonella. This bacteria can also harm the fetus if you get infected. A pregnant woman with Salmonella can also experience dehydration and other infections. (Related: Foods and Herbs That Must Not be Taken During Pregnancy.)

Pregnant women should also avoid mayonnaise because it is high in saturated fat and calories. Eating calorie-rich foods like mayo when pregnant can make you gain excess weight, and this can cause complications during childbirth.

According to the American Heart Association, you should limit your intake of foods with saturated fats that can also be found in butter, cheese, red meat, and other animal-based foods. Science-backed data has confirmed that saturated fat can raise “bad” cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease.

Eating mayonnaise when pregnant can also increase your risk of listeriosis, an infection caused by the Listeria bacteria. This condition is also linked to the consumption of raw eggs during pregnancy.

Most mayonnaise products also contain preservatives that are bad for your health while other types of mayonnaise have a high salt and sugar content.

If you’re pregnant, exercise discipline when it comes to your diet. Ask yourself if it’s worth risking your baby’s health whenever you feel the urge to eat an egg salad or a sandwich with some mayo in it.

Other foods that pregnant women need to avoid

Being pregnant means you become responsible not just for yourself but also for your baby’s life. You can ensure their health by avoiding the other dangerous foods included in the list below.

• High-mercury fish – Mercury is a very toxic element. In higher amounts, it can endanger your immune system, kidneys, and nervous system. The element, which can be found in polluted water, is also associated with severe developmental issues in children. High-mercury fish include king mackerel, shark, swordfish, and tuna (especially albacore tuna).
• Undercooked or raw fish – Raw fish and shellfish may cause different infections from bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria. Skip the sushi if you’re pregnant.
• Undercooked, raw, and processed meat – Eating undercooked or raw meat puts you at risk of infection caused by several bacteria or parasites, like E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, and Toxoplasma. Do not eat raw or undercooked cut meat like burgers, meat patties, minced meat, pork, and poultry. Avoid processed meat like deli meat, hot dogs, and lunch meat because they can be infected with different bacteria during processing or storage.

You can read more articles about other beverages and foods that you need to avoid when you’re pregnant at WomensHealth.news.

Sources include:

ArticlesOfHealthCare.com

Heart.org

Healthline.com