Chips, available in many flavours, may never have seemed as appealing to you as they do during pregnancy. You may have all kinds of cravings at this time and you may even enjoy chips while watching a movie on your couch. But eating potato chips during pregnancy can also be harmful to your health. This can cause many complications to the baby growing in your womb and many of these problems are also such that they will not be cured later. Let’s know how.
Can You Eat Chips During Pregnancy?
Is it okay to eat chips during pregnancy? The most correct answer to this question is ‘no’ and there are many reasons for this. However, in some cases, women can eat chips in very small quantities. If you feel that it may cause health issues, then you can eat a small amount of home made chips once in a while. Keep in mind that first clean the potato thoroughly hygienically and eat it only after frying it in good oil. In any case, women are advised not to eat chips until the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. There are many reasons for this which are discussed in this article. If you know that you have a weak will power, then you should stay away from chips completely.
Why is it harmful to eat chips during pregnancy?
Eating chips during pregnancy is not at all good for health for several reasons. Let’s look at some of the reasons;
- Ready-made chips contain only 30% potato and most of the ingredients are starch and synthetic additives used to enhance the flavor and make the chips last longer. These additives are not at all good for the health of a pregnant woman and the unborn child.
- The chips available in the market are made in large quantities and the method of making it is also not healthy. Most of the chips are deep fried in the same oil on high flame due to which its nutrients get destroyed and it is injurious to health.
- If you eat a lot of chips then the oil from which it is made gets stored in your body as fat and later it causes heart problems and it also causes cholesterol to increase and also weight gain. also increases.
- Many types of chips also contain traces of carcinogenic substances that can directly reach DNA and damage its structure.
- Many processes are followed to make readymade or packaged chips where saturated names, flavors and additives are also added. Eating chips with high salt affects the level of minerals and water in the body. This can lead to serious problems, such as swelling of the legs and increased blood pressure.
- Eating chips can cause heartburn, gas and unwanted gastric activity which are harmful for the baby. These problems can sometimes be more serious and can also lead to miscarriage.
- Eating a lot of fat puts a lot of pressure on the kidneys and those organs which are working from the beginning to support the baby growing in the womb.
Some of the above mentioned points are serious health problems which can be aggravated by eating chips. Now you know how eating chips can affect the health of a pregnant woman. Let us now know how eating chips during pregnancy affects the health of the child.
How is eating chips during pregnancy harmful to the baby?
Eating chips during pregnancy can affect the health of your unborn baby. Many types of chips contain acrylamide, an effective carcinogen. Acrylamide can disturb the formation of DNA in the body, due to which the baby may have low birth weight and abnormal head size. This can further lead to behavioral problems, birth defects and developmental delay in the child.
If you have a lot of craving to eat chips, then it is very difficult to avoid eating it. But you must understand that the safety of the child is your first priority. Therefore, do not eat chips at all in the first trimester and it is better not to eat them even while feeding the baby. When your baby is completely healthy then you can eat chips in moderation as eating anything in excess is injurious to health.
