Can pregnant women eat herring?

If a woman eats salty herring with pleasure and relish, there will certainly be a person in her surroundings who will ask if you are pregnant, my dear? Indeed, the taste preferences of a pregnant woman is a separate story to which men devote odes. In fact, everything is natural. It is believed that the special desire of a product during pregnancy is a lack in the body of a certain substance, which is very necessary for the baby in the womb. Today we’ll talk about herring - she is a frequent guest on the table of a pregnant woman. We will find out why the future mom is drawn to salted fish, and try to figure out whether this fish is safe.

Why do you want herring during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a period of various changes in the body that take place without the knowledge of a woman. All processes are aimed at preserving the baby in the womb. First of all, the level of the hormone progesterone rises. It reduces the activity of the muscular muscles of the uterus so that it does not contract and does not provoke a miscarriage. But along with this, progesterone lowers blood pressure, which is why a woman in the early stages constantly experiences weakness, apathy and drowsiness. However, the body requires its own and in order to increase pressure, it needs sodium, that is, a woman is drawn to something salty. That is why in the early stages of pregnancy, the future mother leans on pickles and herring.

Another reason for the unbearable desire to eat fish is the increased need for calcium. The growth and development of the child takes a huge amount of calcium from the woman’s body, this deficiency is trying in every way to fill up. Most calcium is found in dairy products and fish. Hence the craving for fish products. The herring itself is very useful, it contains a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. But boiled or stewed fish is useful, not a salted herring, which can be really dangerous.

What is the danger of herring for a pregnant woman?

The use of thermally cooked fish is obvious - it contains a lot of vitamin D, which is necessary for an organism that is exhausted by pregnancy. In addition, herring contains a huge amount of trace elements and vitamins, it has many useful omega-3 fatty acids. However, after salting, most of the valuable substances are lost, what is the risk of using salted herring?

1. First of all, the harm lies in the huge amount of salt in the composition of the snack. So that the fish is well salted and does not start to decay, it is placed in a brine with a large amount of salt. Excess white poison leads to severe edema, which already torment a woman in late pregnancy. Salt is an additional burden on the kidneys, which during pregnancy work to the limit. Excess salt is the severity of the body, swollen legs, which become more difficult to move on, especially after 30 weeks.
2. Another big risk of fish consumption is the lack of heat treatment. Under the influence of salt, all possible pathogenic microflora die, but the parasite larvae remain, especially if the pickling was short-lived. It is believed that more than half of the fish that is sold on store shelves is infected. Sometimes larvae leave the human body in a natural way. But often parasites begin to grow and develop in the intestines, penetrate the blood, affect the lungs and other tissues. This can lead to quite serious consequences even in a healthy person, not to mention the body of a pregnant woman.This is dangerous not only for the mother, but also for the child, since parasites can enter the fetus through the blood and the umbilical cord.

In order for the fish to bring only benefit, it should be eaten sparingly - no more than three pieces of salted herring at a time, 1-2 times a week. In late pregnancy, it is better to refuse salty foods, they can aggravate puffiness. If you really want fish, it is better to enjoy red caviar. It contains not only the whole palette of fish vitamins, but also a huge amount of vitamin E, which protects the skin from stretch marks.

What kind of herring is there during pregnancy?

It’s best to buy not a ready-made herring filet, but a whole fish. You can review her condition before she gets to your table. A good fish has an even color, shiny scales without damage, pink gills, a stiff back. When cutting, carefully inspect the fish for infection with larvae. Visually, you can notice several worms on the surface of the fillet. Even if you have not noticed anything, you need to soak the fish in milk for 2-3 hours, this will help protect yourself from parasites. By the way, even if fish infected with larvae are left for 10-12 days in salt water, it will become safe to eat. But if you are pregnant, it is better not to take risks and abandon such a product immediately.

Salted herring is a great appetizer for boiled potatoes or pasta. Herring can change the taste of any, the most simple and lean salad. But most often we buy salted fish for the famous salad "Herring under a fur coat." From the point of view of proper nutrition, this is not the most harmful dish, because it does not require additional use of salt. In addition, the salad has healthy boiled vegetables and eggs. And if you replace the mayonnaise with oil or another dressing, then the dish will not be equal in quantity of valuable substances!

Herring is a tasty and healthy product that can decorate and complement any table. But during pregnancy, this is not quite what the future mother needs. Eat herring only if you really want it, and then, in moderation. If you do not have a special reverent love for salted fish, it is better to abandon the product until better times.

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