Being pregnant means you have to alter your eating habits. Diet change doesn’t have to be catastrophic but there are foods that are thought to be too big of a risk whilst being pregnant. The question ‘Can you eat sunny side up eggs while pregnant?’ May have entered your mind by now so read further to find the answer.
Can You Eat Sunny Side Up Eggs While Pregnant – Yes or No?
Can you eat sunny side up eggs while pregnant? In short, no, a pregnant woman cannot eat sunny side up eggs. Before you start crying, eggs aren’t off the menu but it is best to avoid the salmonella risk. Let us look into why there is such a risk while you are pregnant and why you cannot eat the sunny side up kind.
Can Pregnant Women Have Sunny Side Up Eggs?
The biggest concern with regard to eggs is Salmonella, especially during pregnancy.
Salmonella is a bacteria that can indeed make you very sick and poorly.
Women who are pregnant already have their immune systems compromised as their bodies are giving all it has to help grow the bundle inside. This means that if you are pregnant, eating what you are eating is of massive importance.
Check out the symptoms of salmonella food poisoning below:
- Fever.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Dehydration.
How Can Salmonella Affect My Pregnancy?
If a person has become ill from eating undercooked eggs then the infection can in fact cross the placenta and make your unborn baby ill. In rare circumstances and depending on gestation it could start preterm labor or cause a miscarriage.
Losing essential vitamins and minerals can slow down development and cause neural conditions, so staying hydrated is super important! Dehydration is also a factor that should be avoided! Becoming dehydrated during pregnancy can have lasting effects on your unborn baby.
Babies who are born from infected moms can also become ill from salmonella poisoning. These babies are at risk of developing a fever, diarrhea and in some cases meningitis.
If you are displaying any of the symptoms above then it is vital you seek medical attention so they can keep you under observation until the symptoms pass.
Benefits of Eating Eggs During Pregnancy
I don’t wish to scare you away from the wonderful world of the egg but it is important that they are fully cooked to prevent salmonella poisoning.
Cooking your eggs completely will ensure the bacteria is killed and eating pasteurized eggs will also ensure their safety to you whilst pregnant.
Can I eat sunny side up eggs while pregnant? When I was having my second all I wanted was a sunny side up egg but after finding out the risks to me and my baby the craving quickly disappeared I felt that after knowing the risks I wouldn’t enjoy eating one anyway.
As mentioned eating eggs doesn’t need to be struck off the menu but providing they are cooked until the whites are hard and the yolk is solid. In fact, eating eggs can be a delicious and nutritious addition to your diet.
Eggs are a fantastic source of Vitamin D. The yolk is the most nutritious so ensure you eat the whole thing. Made up of protein and healthy fats you can be sure that the benefits of eating an egg speak for themselves!
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Benefits of Eggs in Your Diet | |
|
B Vitamins |
Great energy-boosting vitamins |
|
Protein |
Perfect for the building blocks of creating new cells |
|
Choline |
Supports Brain development in your unborn baby |
|
Vitamin A |
Great for the formation of organs including heart and lungs |
|
Vitamin D |
Supports your immune system whilst protecting your baby |
Whether you are planning to breastfeed or formula feed, all pregnant moms need higher levels of vitamin D than if you weren’t pregnant, many medical professionals may advise you to take vitamin D supplements so why not give it your best shot and up those essential nutrients by adding a hard egg in a day or two.
Not only does eating eggs help us as moms but they also have raving benefits for your growing bub!
Vitamin B12 and Choline help healthy development both for the brain and bones. Alongside protein that helps build new cells which will later make up your bubs hair, skin, nails, bone, and muscles
As you can see, eating eggs can be a great source of nutrition! So before you bin your pack of 12 looks at how to be safe when preparing and alternative ways to cook them.
Preparing Eggs safely during Pregnancy
Preparation of foods whilst pregnant is key to avoiding food poisoning. So how can we handle eggs safely?
‣ Cooking – Any eggs you prepare whether it is poached or scrambled you need to make sure that the whites are hard and the yolk is firm, if you notice any slimeiness then keep cooking until firm.
If pan frying an egg then aim for 4 minutes cooking time. 2 minutes on each side should ensure that the yolk is fully cooked.
‣ Leftovers- Try to avoid eating leftovers whilst pregnant and if you do remain vigilant with the storage of the foods and eat as soon as possible to prevent contamination.
‣ Temperature- Any foods that contain eggs need to be hot and cooked at 160 degrees. Avoid eating cold quiche and soufflés.
Is A Sunny Side Up Egg Safe for Pregnant Women?
So to get our heads around this question can pregnant women eat sunny side up eggs safely, the answer would be that a sunny side-up egg is best avoided during pregnancy. The risk to you and your baby is too great for a measly egg.
Salmonella poisoning can leave you very ill and have devastating effects on your pregnancy.
If you have eaten something with uncooked eggs then don’t fret. Odds are the egg was more than likely pasteurized.
Pasteurized eggs have been carefully treated to eliminate bacteria. The egg has been heated in a way that kills the bacteria without cooking the egg, so provided you have used pasteurized egg you can quite happily enjoy a sunny side up egg.
Buying pasteurized eggs couldn’t be easier! Look at the box and it should state clearly. Unpasteurized eggs have handling and cooking instructions on the box stating fairly clearly that the eggs should be fully cooked before consumption.
Alternative Methods to Sunny Side Up for Pregnant Women
Eating eggs has never been something you had to think about in those pre-pregnancy days and now here you are researching can you eat sunny side up eggs when pregnant! It is insane the number of things you have to alter when becoming pregnant but there are alternatives to eating your eggs sunny side up!
- Scrambled.
- Hard-boiled.
And the following are ok provided the yolk is cooked thoroughly.
- Poached.
- Fried.
To help we have made a list of a few foods to be aware of that may contain eggs.
- Eggnog.
- Caesar dressing.
- Béarnaise sauce.
- Homemade mayonnaise.
- Hollandaise sauce.
- Homemade mousse.
- Meringue.
- Tiramisu.
- Homemade ice cream.
According to the FDA, grocery-bought items on the list above are generally safe and prepared using pasteurized eggs but if you are unsure check out the ingredients label as if it is pasteurized it will state clearly on the label.
Rules Elsewhere in The World
You wouldn’t believe this but there is another way to get around the salmonella risk. Hens in the UK have been monitored closely, the farms where they live have made improvements and vaccinations for hens have been developed to eradicate the salmonella risk.
Eggs laid in Britain are now lion stamped. The National Health Service otherwise known as the NHS in the UK has worked tirelessly to ensure that eggs laid in Britain have the stamp of approval. This means that the risk of salmonella poisoning is so low It is basically nonexistent!
The FSA has now recognized that you could enjoy an egg over easy providing it has the seal of approval through the lion stamp.
Unfortunately, the FDA is not inclined to lift the ban on over-easy eggs in the USA. Now it is not because the standards are lower but depending on the transportation of the eggs and the process of how they get on our plates there is no guarantee that all bacteria will be eliminated.
Recommendations still remain, eggs during pregnancy should be cooked through thoroughly. After all, it is best to err on the side of caution.
Wrapping Up
Can you eat sunny side up eggs while pregnant? Unfortunately not!
You may have the odd success story from great Auntie Magness but reading the risks of eating over easy eggs is really not worth it surely?
But this doesn’t mean that you need to banish your favorite foods containing eggs or avoid eggs altogether. Eating cooked eggs whilst pregnant is extremely nutritious and can add to your health and that of your growing bub.
If you feel a bit put off by the risks of Salmonella then don’t fear you can get all the same nutrition from cooked meats and vegetables.
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