Eggs and Pregnancy: The Pros and Cons

Pregnancy is an important period where the mom-to-be has to take care of her health and the baby’s. For that, she really has to choose the right food to eat. For all its benefits for health in general, eggs constitute one of the most common breakfast staple. But is it safe to eat it during pregnancy? 

Is it safe to eat eggs during pregnancy?  

Generally, during the pregnancy, the woman may receive a list of banned food from the doctor. Most of the time, this current list includes unpasteurised food. It also has certain raw or undercooked items. The main reason is that pasteurizing and cooking process help eliminate the dangerous bacteria such as listeria. 

In normal times, human bodies can handle coping with these sorts of bacteria. But as the immune system becomes weaker during pregnancy, it is important to prevent any risks of contamination, especially for the baby. 

And as far as eggs are concerns, notice that you can eat eggs during your whole pregnancy, whether it’s fresh or egg powder. You just have to prepare them in the right way in order to kill the bad bacteria. 

How to eat eggs during this period of time? 

In order to safely eat egg during pregnancy, you have to pasteurize and cook it well. Then, you can make sure that you eat safe food that is harm free for you and for the coming baby. In fact, you need to remember that egg may carry some illnesses related to foodborne such as salmonella. 

Besides, you also have to notice that eggs are part of these versatile foods. So, you really have to control its cooking process to make sure that all its portions are fully cooked. If there are some portions which remain raw, it may be dangerous for the health even if it’s edible. 

For that reason, pregnant woman should not eat mayonnaise as it contains raw egg. You should also avoid eggs whose yolk is still runny. This includes over easy, sunny-side up, poached and even soft boiled eggs. 

As they also contain undercooked eggs, especially when they are not homemade, you should also avoid raw cookie dough, eggnog, salad dressings containing eggs and ice cream. 

Tips to select and cook eggs during pregnancy 

In order to protect your health and the baby’s during pregnancy, you just have to prepare well your eggs before eating. Once the yolk and the white are both firm, it’s cooked. If you don’t like this consistence, wait a while until it’s no more slimy or moist. 

If you decide to prepare powdered egg, make sure to mix it well with milk or water before cooking it. After, you should fry it about 3 to 5 minutes. Just make sure to have an homogeneous result, well-cooked not burnt. 

If you use these items for baking, there’s any risk of contamination. 3 minutes in a 180°C oven is enough to get rid of all the bacteria. After, at the supermarket, you should only purchase the egg powder that is labeled “pasteurized”. 

Advantages of eating eggs during pregnancy for the mother 

You should know how to promptly cook egg during pregnancy because egg brings in many benefits for health during that period of time. Rich in fat and protein and very poor in carbohydrates, egg contributes to the maintaining of the blood sugar level, reducing the risk of gestational diabetes. 

You should also take into account the fact that eggs are high sources of vitamin D that is very helpful not only fir the mother but also for the developing baby. It is also good to mention that eggs are high sources of iron, B12, choline and protein, very useful during pregnancy. 

Besides, you should also take into account the fact that these important nutrients that are within the egg plays a great role in the growth of the cells and the general development of the brain of the fetus. In fact, the protein present in the egg contributes to the baby’s tissues and bones ‘growth. 

The extra folic acid seen within the egg helps also protect it against neural tube birth defects. And finally, don’t forget that the iron in the eggs will simplify the carrying of the oxygen to the baby by the red blood cell. That’s the reason why eggs are categorized among the superfood that should be consumed during pregnancy.