Beer during pregnancy - benefits and harms

During pregnancy, not only the sense of smell changes, but also the taste preferences of the expectant mother. Often there may be an irresistible and inexplicable desire to drink an alcoholic beverage, such as beer.

The opinion of doctors regarding the use of pregnant alcohol is categorically - no and again no. It is not recommended to drink even non-alcoholic beer, the composition of which is really scary.

However, are some concessions possible for the future mother? And will there be at least some benefit from a small glass of foamy drink?

The chemical composition of beer

The fermentation drink has an interesting composition:

• ethyl alcohol, which is formed during fermentation - 3-12%;
• water - up to 93% of the drink;
• malt;
• yeast;
• sugars (represented by polysaccharides, sweeteners);
• carbohydrates (including pectin and dextrins);
• nitrogen-containing components (amino acids and polypeptides);
• organic acids (gluconic, citric, malic, oxalic, acetic and others);
• vitamins of group B, PP, C and others in a small amount;
• minerals (potassium, magnesium, cobalt, iron, zinc, phosphorus, copper and others);
• phenols and polyphenols;
• hop extract;
• carbon dioxide;
• phytoestrogens (hormones of plant origin);
• flavor enhancers;
• dyes;
• foam stabilizers;
• flavorings;
• thickeners;
• fermentation by-products (esters, methanol, fusel oils, cadaverine, aldehydes).

As you can see, one half of the composition is useful for the body of any person, and the other, on the contrary, causes serious harm to internal systems. You can reduce the negative impact by choosing live beer, which is normally stored for several days. It will not contain flavor enhancers, colorants, thickeners and some other harmful substances.

Unfortunately, in our time, most factories produce powdered beer from synthetic ingredients, so it practically does not bring benefits to the body, but side effects and harm grow at times.

The calorie content of the foamy drink is about 37 kcal per 100 ml.

The benefits of beer during pregnancy

It is not entirely logical to consider an alcoholic drink under the heading of a healthy diet, however, doctors and nutritionists have identified several useful points from drinking beer.

1. A high potassium content and a low dosage of sodium make the drink literally curative for hypertension and hypertensive conditions (including preeclampsia and eclampsia).
2. A glass of natural live beer contains as many useful elements and vitamins as a glass of citrus fresh.
3. Foamy drink contains B vitamins in abundance, including folic and nicotinic acid, thiamine, riboflavin and others. It is known that a half-liter bottle for 30% provides the daily requirement of the body for these vitamins, moreover, they are presented in easily digestible form.
4. Beer also contains vitamin C - 35% of the daily intake. Ascorbic acid maintains immunity and increases resistance to colds and viral diseases.
5. Organic acids stimulate urine production, thereby preventing the formation of calculi in the kidneys and bladder. The diuretic effect helps to cleanse the body of poisons and toxins, radionuclides, salts, free radicals, cholesterol. Excess fluid is also removed, which reduces tissue swelling.
6. Phenols and polyphenols have a beneficial effect on the hemostasis of a pregnant woman (blood coagulation system). They prevent increased thrombosis and the development of diseases such as varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, thromboembolism, thrombosis, stroke and heart attack. Phenolic compounds also regulate lipid metabolism.
7. Carbon dioxide positively affects the production of gastric juice, stimulates digestion. It also normalizes blood flow to tissues, muscles, and internal organs.
8. Hop extract calms the nervous system, relieves irritability and anxiety, and reduces signs of apathy and depression. A glass of live beer at night will relax all muscles, eliminate cramps and headaches, provide quick falling asleep and deep sleep.
9. The concentration of vitamins and minerals has a positive effect on the condition of the skin, hair and nails. It is believed that drinking beer reduces the likelihood of stretch marks.
10. Iron in a foamy drink provides the production of red blood cells and hemoglobin, positively affecting oxygen metabolism in cells and tissues. Drinking beer also helps prevent anemia.

Side effects of drinking beer

Unfortunately, most of the useful components in the composition lose their properties after heat treatment and preservation. A bottled beer with a shelf life of 3 months is extremely harmful to the health of the expectant mother and baby.

Doctors have proven that the use of foam in the 1st and 2nd trimester leads to deformities and malformations of the fetus (craniofacial defects, anomalies of the musculoskeletal system, heart and vascular defects, dementia, cerebral palsy, etc.).

1. Beer contains alcohol, which is toxic to the whole body and in particular to brain neurons. Alcohol is able to cross the placenta!
2. Increases the risk of intrauterine growth retardation, a frozen pregnancy, placental abruption, miscarriage, premature birth, etc.
3. Prevents normal gas exchange, resulting in fetal hypoxia (oxygen starvation) and fetoplacental insufficiency.
4. Frequent use of beer leads to the fact that in the third trimester, mother and child can earn withdrawal symptoms. In a pregnant woman, this is manifested by tremor, physical need for alcohol (including strong), earthy complexion, etc. The fetal alcohol syndrome is practically untreatable and leads to the birth of premature and disproportionate babies with defects.
5. A strong diuretic effect leads to the fact that beneficial substances and especially proteins are washed out from the body - the “building material” for the child’s internal systems.
6. All fermentation products disrupt the functioning of the kidneys, liver, and other internal organs. Cadaverin is an analogue of cadaveric poison, therefore it is extremely toxic.
7. For dense and stable beer foam use a stabilizer - cobalt. A significant amount of this mineral leads to compaction of the walls of blood vessels, including the heart. The abuse of foam leads to the syndrome of "kapron stocking", as a result of which the heart weakly distills the blood and can not cope with an additional gestational circle of blood circulation.
8. Extracts, flavor enhancers, sweeteners and colorings are the strongest allergens. In drinking mothers, children often suffer from atopic dermatitis and severe food allergies.
9. Hop cones contain phytoestrogens - analogues of female sex hormones. Their excess violates the hormonal background, which can lead to pathologies of gestation and even cause the threat of termination.

Of course, all these serious consequences are possible only in case of systematic abuse. A rare glass of beer is harmless and will help satisfy the expectant mother's need for a foamy drink. But you need to choose exclusively fresh brewed beer, avoiding canned and bottled options.

Video: Can I drink alcohol during pregnancy?