Pregnancy is a remarkable journey for every woman. Certainly, you will have a lot of diet-related queries when you are pregnant. Although eating nutritious food benefits you during pregnancy, you may not know which foods to opt for or how much to consume. We have addressed this blog to focus on the important concern, of whether eating liver during pregnancy is safe or not.
Eating liver during pregnancy
Meat is recommended during pregnancy as it offers a sufficient amount of protein. As anaemia is a serious concern for pregnant women, they may consider including the liver in their diet. The liver contains several substances that can be beneficial for both the mother and the developing child.
Despite having vitamins, iron, and proteins, the liver has a higher concentration of vitamin A. The consumption of high quantities of vitamin A by pregnant mothers may cause birth defects in babies. Therefore, pregnant women should take the liver in moderation for a healthy pregnancy(foods to avoid in pregnancy).
Benefits of Consuming Liver During Pregnancy
The consumption of the liver during pregnancy has the following nutrients
- Folic acid- It promotes the neurological growth of the baby.
- Proteins- They are essential for baby development and strength.
- Vitamin A- It is abundant in the liver and contributes to overall nutrition as well as the growth of the immune system and eyesight in developing babies.
- Iron – Pregnant women are advised to consume liver because it lowers the risk of anaemia since it contains iron.
Though the liver contains the above nutrients, pregnant mothers should have to consume it in moderation(diet in pregnancy).
Liver consumption risks during pregnancy
Let’s look at the dangers of eating liver
* Vitamin A is present in large quantities in the liver. Although it may have benefits, taking excessive amounts of it can be harmful to unborn babies since retinol, a precursor to the vitamin, is found in the liver. High doses of retinol consumption may bring harm thus, overconsumption of the liver may result in birth defects in babies
* Along with retinol, the liver is not a good option for pregnant women with hypertension because of its higher cholesterol content.
To sum up
Hence, it is recommended to consume the liver in moderation while pregnant. Moreover, when compared to beef or mutton liver, the proportions of the nutrients in chicken liver are different. This needs to be taken into account when preparing the diet if you are interested in eating liver during pregnancy.
