It is normal for pregnant women to crave for a particular kind of food during their first, second and third trimesters. Right after a woman conceives a child, her body will begin to change and adapt to nurture the foetus inside their uterus. Their hormones will start to change rapidly. The levels of oestrogen and progesterone will fluctuate rapidly and that will cause mood swings and cravings. Their food habits will change too. They might stop liking their favourite dish and start to opt for something they used to hate. But, this is normal. Some women start to crave for salty an tangy foods one of them being pickles. Pregnancy changes the sensory perceptions in women and that is how they start to crave some foods while other make them nauseous.
According to a study, almost 26 percent of women develop a decreased sensitivity to salt and 76 percent of women were reported to develop very abnormal taste and smell sensations. As per speculations by experts, this happens so that they do not end up eating toxic foods that can harm their health. Now, let us get back to women craving for pickles. Some women may carve for pickles but are they really good for them and how much can they really safely eat? Let us find out.
What Are The Health Aspects Of Eating Pickle During Pregnancy?
There are both positive sides and negative sides to it:
Negative Side: Very High In Sodium
Pickle are very high in sodium content and this is not always a good factor for health especially for pregnant women. Extra sodium consumption can increase their blood pressure. Pregnant women may already have high blood pressure because there heart is pumping blood for not one but two human beings. Moreover, extra sodium can also cause water retention which also cause high blood pressure. Yes, of course you can eat pickles but only in moderation. It is recommended that you eat pickles which are made of other kinds of healthy salts like pink salt or Himalayan rock salt. Avoid sodium.
Positive Side: Packed With Vitamins
We have discussed the negative aspects, now let us talk about the health benefits of eating pickles. Aside from the high sodium content, pickles are actually very healthy. They are fermented so, they can boost the growth of good bacteria in the gut thereby improving digestion and metabolism. They are rich in vitamins like C. Vitamin C can help the growth of tissues in babies and develop their immune health. Vitamin K present in pickles can help develop the bones of mothers and in blood clot.