One of the major concerns of all moms-to-be is their diet and what can be eaten safely and what cannot. Although your doctor is the best person to advise you in this matter, you need to ensure you are consuming a wholesome and nutritious diet, which is ideal for both the mom-to-be and the baby. You need to exercise extra caution in what goes into your bread and ensure whatever you choose and crave is perfectly safe for the little one growing inside you. Foods such as mayonnaise may or may not be safe depending on how they are prepared. We tell you everything about eating mayonnaise during pregnancy.
Mayonnaise is a delicious spread that adds flavor to any sandwich. Some prefer adding it to salads too. The biggest risk lies with the method of preparation. Traditionally mayonnaise is made using raw egg yolks. With industrialization and modernization, the manufacturing process has included many changes such as pasteurization. Let us learn about different aspects such as how you can safely consume mayonnaise during pregnancy and the risk factors.
In This Article
- What is Mayonnaise?
- Nutritional Values in Mayonnaise
- Types of Mayonnaise
- Can Pregnant Women Eat Mayonnaise During Pregnancy?
- How Much Should You Consume Mayonnaise During Pregnancy?
- What Risks are Associated With Eating Mayonnaise During Pregnancy?
- Tips For Selecting Mayonnaise During Pregnancy
- How is Homemade Mayonnaise Prepared?
- Large Scale Manufacturing of Mayonnaise
- FAQ’s
What is Mayonnaise?
Thick, creamy, tasty popular dressing, mayonnaise has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. There is no argument about the fact, mayonnaise is something that is scrumptious. You can add spread it in rolls and sandwiches to make it all the yummier, especially when hunger pangs strike you every now and then.
Mayonnaise is a very common spread made from eggs. But nowadays, even egg-less mayonnaise is available on the market. Lecithin is one most commonly added emulsifiers while preparing mayonnaise, which has eggs. Lecithin is mainly found in the yolk of the eggs. Mayonnaise can be light white or creamy in color, containing oil, along with vinegar or lime and traditional flavors added to make it all the yummier.
Mustard is yet another essential ingredient that goes into the recipe of mayonnaise in some countries like France, while some countries like Italy, Greece, and even Spain and Portugal use olive oil instead. With its creamy and thick consistency, it is just ideal for adding to any food you feel like having. Mayonnaise during pregnancy is it safe to eat or not.
Nutritional Values in Mayonnaise
It is essential to know about the nutritional values and ingredients to make sure mayonnaise during pregnancy is healthy for you and your baby too. Here are the nutritional benefits of mayonnaise are given below:
- Mayonnaise contains a very high level of calories. It contains nearly 700 Kcal per 100 grams or 94 Kcal per spoon.
- Mayonnaise is very high in fat content with one spoon of mayonnaise containing about 5 mg of cholesterol.
- One spoon of mayonnaise will contain up to 125 mg of sodium in it. The daily salt intake should not exceed 2 gm.
- Mayonnaise also contains many vitamins A, D, E, K, B6, and B12.
Types of Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise comes in many different types. You’ll find mayonnaises for every occasion, need, and desire, including light, eggless, and whole egg varieties. Each type of mayonnaise has a different fat content. Mayonnaise is classified into 4 types based on its fat content:
- Original mayonnaise comes with a fat content of 78.5% and egg 6%.
- Full-fat mayonnaise with 65-75% fat.
- Light mayonnaise with a fat content between 20-30% and 3% of egg content.
- Extra mayonnaise that contains less than 10% fat and 4% egg.
The best aspect of mayonnaise is that it offers scope for experimentation. By adding different ingredients to mayonnaise, you can enhance its flavor composition. In this way, you can include it in more dishes on your menu. Following are some of the favorite types of mayo you can try:
- Spicy mayonnaise
- BBQ mayonnaise
- Smoked lemon mayonnaise
- Herbed mayonnaise
- Chopped ginger/ garlic mayonnaise
- Lime mayonnaise
Can Pregnant Women Eat Mayonnaise During Pregnancy?
Pregnant women can eat mayonnaise that is made by using pasteurized eggs. Mayonnaise produced commercially is also safe since it is made of pasteurized eggs. Mayonnaise is made of egg yolks, lemon water or vinegar, and even vegetable oil. The lecithin and protein present in the yolk act as an emulsifier and stabilize it.
The main risk associated with eating raw eggs is that it causes food-borne disease due to bacterial contamination. Most common is the salmonella bacterial contamination and causes salmonellosis. Symptoms include nausea, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, and abdominal cramps.
It also causes other severe problems like extreme dehydration, reactive arthritis, and meningitis. This disease can transfer to the fetus also and causes many developmental defects.
[Read : Is It Safe To Have Eggnog During Pregnancy?]
How Much Should You Consume Mayonnaise During Pregnancy?
You can consume mayonnaise during pregnancy by using it as a salad dressing or also use it as a spread for healthy veg or chicken sandwiches. If you are feeling adventurous, you can mix it with other sauces with mayonnaise and make a delicious dip for your carrot sticks, potato sticks, turning them into healthy snacks! Mayonnaise is safe in moderation during pregnancy. Do keep in mind that you must consume mayonnaise made of pasteurized eggs only.
What Risks are Associated With Eating Mayonnaise During Pregnancy?
Mayonnaise made from unpasteurized eggs is not safe during pregnancy due to the risk of bacterial contamination and food poisoning. Hence, you need to exert extreme caution before eating mayonnaise while pregnant with your baby. Given below are some important checkpoints you need to go through before buying mayonnaise for consumption when you are carrying.
1. Carefully Read How This Was Made
Do your research about the brand of mayonnaise you wish to buy. If the brand uses state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and claims to source the ingredients carefully, mayonnaise may be a good choice.
2. Remember to Read the Label
You should carefully read the label and see whether the particular product contains raw eggs. If it says yes, steer clear of it. If nothing is mentioned, it is better to steer clear of such products and opt for products with a detailed ingredient list.
3. Always Choose a Mayonnaise Which is Prepared From Pasteurized Eggs
This would be the ideal choice during your conception period as the mayonnaise becomes safe for consumption.
4. Never Go For Homemade or Conventional Brands
It is advisable not to buy or use mayonnaise of homemade brands or conventional brands as it increases the risk of food poisoning
Tips For Selecting Mayonnaise During Pregnancy
Mayonnaise should have a soft and creamy consistency. There should be a perfect hint of lemon and mustardy flavor in it. The following tips will help you choose the right type of mayonnaise during pregnancy:
- Be sure to thoroughly check the ingredient list on the back of the product.
- In order to get the best nutritional value, choose mayonnaise with healthy oils. For example, choose brands that use olive oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fat, or rapeseed oil, which is rich in omega-3 fats instead of those brands that use conventional vegetable oils.
- Before buying mayonnaise make sure it was produced in a hygienic environment.
- You should also read the label to make sure there are no raw eggs.
- Ensure that the mayonnaise you purchase is made with pasteurized eggs.
- If you’re pregnant, stay away from homemade or conventional mayonnaise, which is likely to contain raw eggs.
The above-mentioned simple tips will go a long way in ensuring the mayonnaise you finally pick up is safe and healthy for you and your little one.
[Read : Is Paneer Safe To Eat During Pregnancy?]
How is Homemade Mayonnaise Prepared?
If you want to prepare mayonnaise at home, you can make it easy with just a fork or pestle without much effort. The best option would be to put the ingredients in a mixer or hand blender.
First, take the egg yolks and add them to your oil till it blends smoothly. You have the option of mixing in mustard or whatever you choose along with the main ingredients. Some recipes require adding vinegar to the egg yolk directly which acts as an emulsifying agent and increases the mayonnaise quantity.
Large Scale Manufacturing of Mayonnaise
In this procedure, the eggs are first dispersed into liquid or powder form. Once emulsified, the next step includes adding the rest of the ingredients and mixing vigorously in a machine in order to ensure total hydration and dispersion. Following the oil addition, the product go through normal industrial procedures before bottling and selling in supermarkets.
Now that you are aware of how to make mayonnaise, you can consult your doctor before adding mayonnaise to your diet. Although there are some excellent brands that use pasteurized eggs for preparation, you must ensure that having mayonnaise is perfectly safe for you and the baby growing within you.
[Read : Can Pregnant Women Eat Feta Cheese?]
FAQ’s
1. Can Eating Mayonnaise During Pregnancy Lead to Weight Gain?
Yes, it definitely can. It is very high in calories. do consume in moderate quantities only.
2. Can Consuming Mayonnaise During Pregnancy Lead to Indigestion?
Mayonnaise is high in cholesterol. Oil is one of the main ingredients, thus there will be a lot of it. A pregnant woman might find it difficult to digest it.
3. Can I Digest Mayonnaise When am Pregnant?
Yes, you can. If you eat in moderate quantities. Since it is high in calories and fats, it can take time to digest it.
4. Will Mayonnaise Impact the Fetus?
Making mayonnaise requires raw eggs. If the egg is infected, the mayo could be too. This may cause many issues for both mother and baby.
Read Also: Cheesecake During Pregnancy Is Safe or Not?
