Nothing can be tastier than junk food. During pregnancy, the craving is at its all-time high, and you don’t have to worry about your weight too! But you know that is not the way to look at things. In fact, pregnancy is the time when you need to be extra cautious about eating any undesirable foods, and junk tops the list of such foods.
Momjunction gives you some specific reasons for avoiding junk food during pregnancy, and how you can control your cravings for it. Read on to know more.
What Are The Harmful Effects Of Eating Junk Food During Pregnancy?
You and your baby need a good amount of nutrients during pregnancy for healthy weight gain in you and proper development of brain, bones, organs and immune system in your baby.
Junk foods certainly not help you meet these nutritional demands. If you consume junk food, it does not provide you nutrition, and also doesn’t leave any scope for you to have a healthy food like fruits or vegetables as you feel full.
Here are the possible ways how junk food can affect yours and your baby’s health:
- The baby develops a liking for fatty foods: A study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology explains how a mother’s diet can influence her baby’s food preferences.
The study, which was carried out on pregnant rats, revealed that the rats that ate high-fat food during pregnancy had heavier pups, which preferred fatty foods. Their brain circuitry got altered to have a weakness for fatty foods throughout their adulthood. However, a balanced diet showed a lesser craving for fatty foods in the rat offspring.
- There is an increased risk of allergies: High sugar content in the diet can lead to allergies and asthma. As per a study published in the European Respiratory Journal , children of women who had ’free sugars’ (added sugars) in the form of sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, fruit juices or honey in their diet during pregnancy, had an increased risk of allergy and asthma between the ages of 7 and 9.
- Chances of genetic abnormalities could be high: A study carried out on pregnant rats found that consumption of high fat or sugar diet by the mother had lead to impaired peripheral insulin signaling at mitochondrial dysfunction in the female offspring. And this passed on to the next three generations .
- Results in the high in-take of acrylamide: Foods such as French fries, bread, potato chips etc., have high content of starch. These foods are baked/ fried at a high temperature (above 250°F), which converts starch into a chemical called acrylamide . Studies have found that a higher level of acrylamide can lead to smaller head circumference and low birth weight in babies .
- You tend to put on excess weight: Too much junk food during pregnancy leads to excessive weight gain, which can put the pregnant woman and the baby at the risk of various complications, including preeclampsia, birthing a large baby, preterm labor, gestational diabetes, sleep apnea, increased risk of birth defects, miscarriage, and stillbirths .
- They have zero nutritional value: Junk food is full of sugar, salt, fats, and cholesterol, which need to be avoided during pregnancy. It is needless to say that neither excess salt nor excess sugar is good for your body.
- You might have digestive problems: Relishing on deep-fried junk food can upset your stomach. It might cause gas, bloat, and indigestion. Also, the junk foods lack fiber content, which is essential for smooth bowel movements.
- Risk of gestational diabetes: Junk foods are high in sugar and calories. Studies have revealed that the consumption of junk food increases the risk of gestational diabetes
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