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Eggplants are a widely popular and straightforward dish, easy to enjoy, especially for expecting mothers craving sourness. However, the dietary habits of pregnant women require special attention to safeguard the mother's health and the baby's development. So, can pregnant women eat pickled eggplants? Discover the answer in this article!
1. Answer: Can Pregnant Women Eat Pickled Eggplants?
To obtain an accurate answer to the question: 'Can pregnant women eat pickled eggplants?', we need to understand what substances are in eggplants.
1.1. Nutritional Composition of Thai Eggplants
Thai eggplants are small, round fruits, white in color, and turn yellow when ripe. They provide various nutrients including: magnesium, potassium, protein, iron, zinc. Additionally, pickled Thai eggplants contain beneficial vitamins such as vitamin B1, B2, provitamin A, vitamin C…
Thai Eggplants Contain Nutrients Beneficial for Health
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Thai eggplants have a cooling and sweet taste; this cooling nature helps reduce inflammation, promote blood circulation, enhance kidney function, aid digestion, relieve bloating, and provide support in treating coughs and tuberculosis. However, they also contain the harmful toxin solanine.
1.2. Can Pregnant Women Eat Pickled Eggplants in the First Trimester?
“Can pregnant women eat pickled eggplants in the first trimester?”. The answer from nutrition experts is: “During pregnancy, expecting mothers can'. However, according to nutrition experts, it's important to note that eggplants contain high levels of the toxic substance solanine, which is 5-10 times higher than the safe limit. When eggplants are consumed raw, this substance level is very high. Eating raw eggplants can be dangerous and lead to poisoning. Symptoms of eggplant poisoning may include diarrhea, nausea, and hallucinations…
Pregnant women can consume pickled eggplants
But when eggplants are pickled with vinegar, their toxicity is reduced. Therefore, pregnant women can eat pickled eggplants. However, it's important not to eat too much and too often. Each time, only eat a few pieces. According to folklore, pregnant women should remove the seeds when eating pickled eggplants. The seeds of pickled eggplants are believed to be the cause of thrush in infants.
>> READ MORE: Pickled Eggplants - Common Mistakes Leading to Food Poisoning When Consuming Pickled Eggplants
2. Can Eating Pickled Eggplants During Pregnancy Cause Harm to the Fetus?
Can pregnant women eat pickled eggplants? Does it harm the fetus or not? This depends on how much you consume and the quality of the pickled eggplants. If you consume too much, it means your body is taking in a large amount of solanine. And this toxin will be transmitted through the bloodstream to the fetus, adversely affecting the baby.
Furthermore, eating pickled eggplants that are not hygienic, have white mold, are slimy, or have unripe salt can easily lead to food poisoning. When faced with this situation, pregnant women often experience digestive disorders, nausea, vomiting,... From there, it affects the absorption of nutrients for the baby, causing adverse effects on the baby.
>> READ MORE: Can pregnant women eat grapes? Warning about gestational diabetes for mother and baby
3. Proper Ways for Pregnant Women to Eat Eggplants
To enjoy pickled eggplants worry-free, without affecting the fetus, you can follow these handy tips!
3.1. Amount of Eggplants Pregnant Women Should Eat
Pregnant women should avoid consuming pickled eggplants too frequently
Pregnant women only need to know how to consume pickled eggplants properly to satisfy cravings without compromising health. According to expert recommendations, pickled eggplants should be eaten 1-2 times a week, and each time, only a few eggplants (1 - 2 eggplants) or a small amount of pickles should be consumed.
3.2. Avoid pickling unripe eggplants
During pregnancy, it's advisable for pregnant women to avoid pickling unripe eggplants. Instead, they should only eat fully ripened pickled eggplants with appropriate acidity, and avoid eating pickled eggplants with black spots or white patches.
Pickled eggplants with xoi flavor have high levels of nitrate, which can convert to nitrite when exposed to bacteria in the body. When combined with amino acids found in other types of foods, nitrite can produce nitrosamine - a substance that poses a cancer risk.
>> READ MORE: Can pregnant women eat mangoes? Surprising benefits mangoes bring to babies
3.3. Ensure hygiene when consuming pickled eggplants
When eating pickled eggplants, it's important to pickle them yourself to ensure hygiene. Avoid buying eggplants from external sources for consumption, as they may not guarantee food safety and hygiene.
It's advisable to consume pickled eggplants stored in glass containers
When pickling eggplants, use glass or ceramic containers instead of plastic jars. This is because chemical reactions may occur in plastic jars when pickling, resulting in toxic substances. Moreover, it's not recommended to eat pickled eggplants in the evening, as this may cause bloating and indigestion for pregnant women.
Summing up the question: “Can pregnant women eat pickled eggplants?”, the answer is yes. However, experts suggest limiting the consumption of pickled eggplants to a maximum of twice a week to ensure health. With this information, pregnant women can better care for their health during pregnancy.
