A healthy diet must be maintained by the pregnant mothers for the benefit of the baby to be born. Moreover, understanding which foods to include(diet in pregnancy) and which to exclude from the diet is important. The most common query from most pregnant mothers is “Can pregnant women eat chicken” since many of their family members state that it is not advisable. Let’s look into it in more detail in this blog.
Can pregnant women eat chicken?
Chicken is a very healthy food that is rich in proteins. Moreover, chicken is a good source of essential nutrients for pregnant women because it is low in fat and does not contribute to obesity. Pregnant women should only eat properly cooked chicken(foods to avoid). Avoid eating raw, undercooked chicken because bacteria may be present in it.
Benefits
Some of the benefits of consuming chicken during pregnancy are as follows
*The fat content is low in chicken
*A pregnant woman can get 50% of her daily protein needs by eating 100 g of chicken every day.
*The fatty acids Omega 3 and Omega 6 are rich in chicken.
* It contains nine essential amino acids that help muscles grow and strengthen.
*Selenium, thiamine, and vitamins A and E are all found in chicken.
*Zinc and iron included in chicken provide the body with nutrients that aid in the growth of new cells.
*Vitamin choline is found in a lot of chicken liver. Early on after birth, it helps babies’ brain and memory development.
*Additionally, folate, which helps protect newborns from neural tube abnormalities, is found in chicken liver.
When you should refrain from eating chicken
There are certain things you must consider while consuming chicken
- It should be well-cooked
- Avoid oily and spicy chicken dishes
- Avoid chicken skin which contains only fat
- Restrict your intake of bakery and junk food such as chicken burgers and chicken puff
- Avoid fried chicken
Which chicken is better
Whether broiler or country chicken is better is the most frequently asked question, not just among pregnant women but also among regular people. Since country chicken does not contain hormones or antibiotics compared to broiler chicken, it is advisable to have it while pregnant.
To conclude
Even though you are pregnant, you can still eat some chicken dishes but choose the healthier ones. Moreover, it is better to be safe and consult your doctor before including chicken in your diet.