Food manufacturers would love you to believe the processed foods they produce are good for you to eat while youre pregnant. The truth is, these foods are filled with chemicals and other dangerous additives. Foods that are altered from their natural state have no place in proper
pregnancy nutrition.
Processed Foods Contain Chemicals
When foods are canned, dried and frozen, they are filled with chemical additives that emulsify, preserve, soften and texturize the foods. Eating too many of these chemical-laden foods can harm both you and your unborn babys health. Some of the chemicals found in these foods have even been shown to have cancer-causing properties.
Most people cant even pronounce the chemicals found in processed foods. Take for instance ingredients like cinnamyl isobutyrate and ethyl methylphenylglycidate. These ingredients sound like they belong in paint, not in food. There are hundreds of chemicals like this approved for use in the food you eat.
If you think reading food labels will give you a complete overview of what youre eating, think again. The Food and Drug Administration doesnt require manufacturers to list all of the chemicals they use in your food.
When you consume foods that are filled with chemicals, your liver has to work overtime to flush the toxins out of your body. Not only are you taxing your body when you eat processed foods, you are increasing your babys risk of health problems.
Even if you can handle the toxins in your food, your fetus cannot. Your baby has an underdeveloped metabolism, so his body is not able to metabolize the chemicals in the food you eat.
Processed Foods Contain Sugar and Salt
In addition to a long list of chemicals, foods that are processed contain high amounts of salt and sugar. Although sugar is widely consumed, it contributes to a host of health issues including type 2 diabetes, gestational diabetes and weight gain. Sugar also:
feeds cancer
weakens eyesight
increases cholesterol
causes food allergies
interferes with protein absorption
impairs DNA structure
contributes to osteoporosis
reduces the immune system
impairs concentration
The excess salt content in processed foods can increase your risk of heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke.
Alternatives to Processed Foods
The only way to know what you are truly eating is to prepare your meals using natural ingredients. When you prepare all of your meals with natural ingredients, you reduce the risk of chemicals, salt and sugar entering your body.
The meals you can prepare using natural foods are endless. For instance, you can make a delicious hamburger steak meal using lean, organic beef, onions, fresh herbs and sea salt. You can pair this meal with steamed vegetables or a fresh garden salad.
You can also make a simple organic grilled chicken smothered in homemade marinara sauce and Italian seasonings.
To get your hands on a variety of recipes, invest in a few cookbooks or search for meal ideas online. Also, dont be afraid to experiment with ingredients and create your own unique recipes. When you find or create recipes you like, put them in a folder so you can easily access them whenever you need to.
Processed foods are fast and convenient; but they are full of chemicals and other additives that can damage your health and that of your unborn babys. If you value your wellbeing, prepare all of your meals from natural ingredients.
Remember, what you put into your body after giving birth will get into your milk supply; so if you plan to breastfeed, continue to avoid processed foods and follow a nutritious diet.
