All moms-to-be think about is the health, growth, and well-being of their child. With all the crazy craving they usually have, it is also essential to keep in mind if it is safe too. Let us go through this article to know how safe is mayonnaise during pregnancy, the nutritional benefits, and a lot more!
What Is Mayonnaise?
One of the popularly known relishes in western countries, slowly gaining popularity in Asian countries, is Mayonnaise or commonly known as mayo. Some of the primary ingredients that go into the preparation of this sauce are egg yolk, vinegar, and oil.
How Safe Is Mayonnaise During Pregnancy:
Is mayonnaise one of your favorite condiments? Can’t stop yourself from putting in in your sandwich? Mayonnaise during pregnancy is pretty safe if you consume it in little amounts. You can make a dip out of it or add it to your salads too. But try to restrain yourself from eating in excess, because it may result in some side effects. If you are eating mayonnaise during pregnancy, then make sure you choose a product that uses pasteurized eggs.
See More: Peanut Butter in Pregnancy
Nutritional Benefits Of Mayonnaise:
Having a good idea about the nutritional content of mayonnaise is essential too. Let us have a look at the nutrients of our favorite condiment.
- It has around 700 kilocalories in every 100 grams of mayonnaise.
- The fat content in mayo is high, too, having 5 mg of cholesterol in a tablespoon of mayonnaise.
- Sodium content in one spoonful of mayo is about 125 mg.
- Some of the Vitamins available in mayonnaise are A, D, E, K, B6, and B12.
Types Of Mayonnaise:
Depending on the ingredients utilized in making mayonnaise, there are several types available in the market. They are categorized based on the fat and egg content.
- Real mayonnaise: The contents of this type of mayo is 78% fat and 6% egg.
- Full-fat mayonnaise: This type of mayo has around 65% to 75 % fat.
- Light mayonnaise: This is a type of mayo that has the lowest fat content around 30 % and 3% egg. Cornstarch might be used as a binding agent in this product.
- Extra mayonnaise: This is a type of mayo that has 10% fat and 4 % egg.
- Eggless mayonnaise: This is a product prepared without any eggs in it, especially for vegans. Olive oil or canola oil is used as a replacement instead of eggs.
Health Benefits Of Mayonnaise When Pregnant:
Consuming anything in excess can be an issue, especially when you are pregnant. But if you have a craving for it, then mayonnaise during pregnancy can be beneficial too.
- It has Vitamin K that helps better the clotting of your blood. One spoonful of mayonnaise has about 22.5 mg of vitamin K, whereas the daily requirement of this vitamin is around 90mcg.
- It also has a lot of fat content that helps maintain a healthy ratio between fatty acids. A spoonful of mayonnaise has 6.17 gms of polyunsaturated fatty acids, whereas it has 2.32 gms of monounsaturated fatty acids.
- Mayonnaise is a dairy-rich product that is rich in calcium and vitamins and minerals that are very good for your baby. The flexibility of mayonnaise allows you to eat it with almost anything but try to consume pasteurized egg made mayonnaise and stay away from a raw egg made mayonnaise for the best results.
- The best part about mayonnaise is that it is available in probably every retail store both online and offline all over the world. You can purchase mayonnaise easily and can enjoy it during your pregnancy without any regrets making mayonnaise during pregnancy a very comfortable affair.
See More: Carving Salty Foods While Pregnant
How Harmful Can Mayonnaise Be During Pregnancy:
There is no harm in consuming mayonnaise as long as it is done in limited amounts. Here is a list of reasons why you shouldn’t take excess mayonnaise during pregnancy.
- Rich in calories: Mixing a spoonful of mayonnaise in your food once in a while is ok. But if you use in excess amounts, then the fat content along with the other calorie food a pregnant woman consumes may lead to excess weight gain.
- Fat: Many studies suggest that the pelvic area of a pregnant woman needs an extra layer of fat to process the labor. Although the monounsaturated fatty acids are good, taking them in excess needs to be avoided as it may cause long-term damages to the baby.
- Preservatives: You need to check the ingredients before you buy a product from the market as it may contain artificial preservatives. Some women have side effects, and some people might be allergic to some ingredients too.
- Bacteria: Bacteria such as salmonella is a risk if you are preparing mayonnaise at home, raw eggs can cause that. So this can be a problem for both mother and the baby.
- Sodium and sugar: These are the two ingredients that many doctors advise pregnant women to eat in limited amounts. Taken in excess sodium and sugar cause high BP and diabetes, respectively.
Mayonnaise DIY Recipe:
Here is a simple recipe you can replicate in the comfort of your home. Remember to use pasteurized eggs only!
Ingredients:
- Two pasteurized eggs.
- Half spoonful mustard powder.
- ¼ spoonful salt.
- One spoonful lemon juice.
- One spoonful vinegar.
- ¾ cup olive oil.
- ¼ spoonful pepper.
Procedure:
- Separate the yolks and add them to a bowl.
- Whisk them well after adding mustard powder and salt.
- Now, add the vinegar, lemon juice and keep on whisking.
- Add the olive oil, simultaneously whisking it into the mixture.
- You can stop adding oil once you feel it is not blending with the mixture.
- Blend the contents well and then add the rest of the oil to the mixture.
- Add the pepper and salt to the blend according to your taste.
- You can refrigerate it to cool down till you want to use it.
See More: Rice During Pregnancy
If you still have that lingering question, is mayonnaise safe during pregnancy? It is perfectly safe to eat mayonnaise during pregnancy in small amounts. But the thing that needs to be remembered is that the condiment needs to prepare from pasteurized eggs only!
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers:
Q1. What are the alternatives for mayonnaise during pregnancy or otherwise?
Ans: There are eggless mayonnaise alternatives for people allergic to eggs or vegans. But if you are in search of spreads on your sandwiches, you can try these instead of mayonnaise during pregnancy.
- Yogurt.
- Mustard.
- Sour cream (fat-free).
- Paste prepared with almonds and cashews.
Q2. Is the mayonnaise available commercially in markets safe during pregnancy?
Ans: The mayonnaise available in the markets is considered safe since it is prepared with pasteurized eggs. It is further processed so that it doesn’t carry any foodborne illnesses. The growth of bacteria is stopped by the presence of lemon juice, salt, and other acids.
Q3. How does an eggless mayonnaise taste?
Ans: All the ingredients that go into the preparation of an eggless or a vegan mayonnaise are small except for the usage of eggs. Olive oil or canola oil is used instead of eggs, which gives it a white color instead of the traditional yellow.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are just suggestions, and the website is no way responsible for the side effects it may cause. It is better to consult a doctor before you consume anything, especially when you are pregnant.
