Nutrition is one of the most important factors during pregnancy that helps the health and growth of the fetus, so pregnant mothers should pay attention to their diet. Tomato sauce or ketchup is one of the most popular sauces in the world, which can be used with sausages, fried foods, and fennel, but we will tell you whether you can use this sauce during pregnancy and what are its advantages and disadvantages.
Tomato sauce contains large amounts of salt, and sugar and often contains preservatives, which result in a bomb of calories.
Can You Eat Ketchup During Pregnancy?
- In general, eating tomato sauce during pregnancy is not a problem, but it should be noted that the consumption of tomato sauce, like other ingredients, should be consumed in moderation and pregnant women should not overdo it because tomato sauce contains large amounts of sugar.
- It should also be noted that it is recommended that it is better to prepare the ketchup by the person himself so that he knows the amount of sugar and does not use preservatives. Using ready-made ketchup sauces may cause illness and problems for pregnant women unless the sauce is prepared industrially and the ingredients are pasteurized.
- Eating curry ketchup and spiced ketchup, in addition to sugar, often contain high amounts of salt, which is safe to eat during pregnancy, but you should not overdo it in eating these two types of sauce.
- There are different ways to eat ketchup, some of which pregnant women should be very careful of, for example, ketchup can be used with cheese, provided that both are industrially prepared so that their pasteurization is confirmed.
- Also, if the cheese is cooked at home by you, it should be cooked properly to reduce the risk of listeria.
- So cheese sauce is only allowed to be eaten during pregnancy under two conditions; The sauce is either industrially prepared or the sauce is prepared at home by the person himself.
- It should also be repeated that if pregnant women want to eat ketchup, it is better to choose industrial ketchup because they are properly prepared and stored, and eating them is safe. But if it is a homemade sauce, such as Bernaise, Tartar, Hollandaise, etc., it is prohibited.
- Soy-based sauces are prohibited, but sweet or salty soy sauce is definitely not prohibited. Soy contains phytoestrogens that can affect the growth of the fetus, so eating it during pregnancy is not recommended.
- When using ketchup with cream or milk, just like using cheese, you must make sure that the milk and cream are pasteurized.
- If the homemade sauce is used during pregnancy, you should be careful when using raw eggs or yolks in the sauce, because if the eggs are not pasteurized and fresh, they can be contaminated with salmonella. He also used pasteurized ingredients and clean tools in all stages of sauce preparation.
Risk of Ketchup During Pregnancy
Eating large amounts of ketchup sauce can cause heartburn and digestive problems because ketchup sauces often have high acids that can cause digestive problems or aggravate digestive problems.
If the container of ketchup is kept for a long time, it can become a place for the growth of Listeria bacteria. To prevent the contamination of the sauce with this organism, it is better to store the sauce in containers with tight packaging and in the refrigerator, or from small packets of ketchup. be used
Industrial ketchup contains amounts of salt in the form of salt or monosodium glutamate, and pregnant women are advised to limit their salt consumption to less than 5 grams per day.
Conclusion
Eating ketchup with fried foods, sausages, and fennel during pregnancy can be completely safe, but consuming too much tomato sauce due to its high acid content can cause digestive problems such as heartburn and reflux or intensification of digestive problems and acidity.
