Is canned food safe for pregnancy? Here's what you need to know

Canned goods have saved us for so many nights in our lives. Lazy to cook? Saving up? Tired of take-out food? Sudden hunger? You can always opt to heat up a canned good or just eat it fresh from the can. What’s even great is most are everything is canned now – meat, fish, seafood, veggies, and more. 

But when you’re pregnant and your baby is in need of healthier options and a well-balanced diet, is canned food safe for pregnancy?

Canned food pregnant

Food poisoning might be more serious in pregnant women. If they are properly sealed or maintained, food cans may contain microorganisms that cause botulism and other bacterial infections.

Before canning, processed food is cooked to a high temperature to destroy microorganisms. They resemble junk food because most enzymes and nutrients have been removed.

Almost all canned foods have an epoxy lining manufactured of the chemical Bisphenol A. (BPA). In early childhood, endocrine disruptors like this have been linked to behavior, cognition, and reproduction problems. 

According to research, consuming BPA while pregnant may harm the future development of the unborn kid. Childhood obesity, reproductive issues, early puberty in females, melancholy and anxiety, diabetes, and heart disease are just a few illnesses linked to prenatal BPA exposure.

Pregnant women should stay away from high BPA exposure. Choose canned goods that are lined with non-BPA materials as an option. 

Is canned food safe for pregnancy?

Is it ok to eat canned soup when pregnant? Can you eat canned corned beef when pregnant? Can I eat canned tuna when pregnant? 

Due to the potentially dangerous mercury found in canned tuna and tuna salad, pregnant women have recently been advised against consuming these foods. 

According to studies, canned tuna has the same mercury content as white tuna. When large levels of mercury enter the circulation, the development of the baby’s neurological system may be damaged. The FDA has advised pregnant women to consume no more than 170 grams of tuna per week.

Overall, it is safer to skip eating canned sardines for pregnant or any other canned goods in general. It might be difficult, but here are some ways to avoid getting troubled by questions, “Can pregnant women eat canned tuna?”, “Can you eat canned sardines when pregnant?”, or “Can you eat canned corned beef when pregnant?”

1. Try to get as many items, such as fruits, and vegetables, as fresh as you can. This way, your food is surely packed with authentic ingredients and minimal preservatives. 
2. The second best option is frozen food, occasionally even better than fresh food due to its longer shelf life. Frozen produce doesn’t require the same additions and chemicals as BPA that canned food does. 
3. Choose alternatively packaged food like ones packaged in glass. These products include milk, liquids, tomato paste, and many others. Paper items are still an excellent choice when accessible, even though they might not be as prevalent as glass containers. Soups, beans, and even pasta meals can be found in plastic containers, a better option than canned food (when BPA-free).
4. Cooking your meals at home ensures that you know everything that is added in your food. No canned goods, no harmful chemicals. You have complete control over the process while making meals at home, from shopping to serving. To further lower your exposure to BPA, buy fresh or frozen food and put up wholesome meals at home!
5. Purchasing vegetables directly from the growers is the best option. It’s organic and even a cheaper option!
6. Growing your own food has several benefits. It’s highly healthy and fresh and right in your backyard! No need to go out and spend more money. 
7. Can you eat canned sardines when pregnant? Is there no other choice? The good news is that lots of companies now make BPA-free cans, and they frequently make that information very clear on the label. You can check the labels of various canned food manufacturers to see if they provide BPA-free alternatives. But still, buying fresh and frozen food is the best choice for you and your growing child. 

READ MORE: 

Potato-rich diet before pregnancy may increase the chances of gestational diabetes, says study

Sugary diet in pregnancy contributes heart disease in children later on

Pregnancy Complications From Low-carb Diet Are High, Study Warns

Is it okay to eat processed food while pregnant

In terms of diet during pregnancy, it is best to start eating nutrient-dense meals to benefit you, and your growing baby. You’ll need essential nutrients, including protein, folate, choline, and iron. 

Whole foods with enough nutrients to suit your needs and those of your baby should make up the majority of a healthy pregnancy diet. In general, processed junk food is high in calories, sugar, and added fats, promoting poor nutrition.

Protein, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables with lots of fiber should make up the majority of your meals and snacks.

Food to avoid when pregnant

• Fish high in mercury content

Mercury is a very harmful element. There is currently no known safe exposure limit, and it is most typically detected in contaminated water.

At higher doses, it can be harmful to your kidneys, immune system, and brain. Significant developmental problems may also arise in children who eat it. Even at lower doses, negative consequences can still occur.

Fish high in mercury include shark, swordfish, tuna, marlin, orange roughly.

• Raw or uncooked seafood

When eaten uncooked, shellfish, in particular, can transmit a number of diseases. Salmonella, listeria, vibrio, and norovirus are a few of the bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause these diseases.

Some infections may only affect you, leaving you drained and weak. Other diseases could spread to your unborn kid and have serious, perhaps fatal, consequences.

Even if you are not ill, the placenta can transmit listeria germs to your unborn child. The CDC states that this can lead to early delivery, a miscarriage, a stillbirth, as well as other serious health problems.

• Undercooked, raw or processed meat

Similarly with raw fish, undercooked, raw, or processed meat may be harmful to your and your baby. You run a higher risk of catching some pathogens or parasites, such as Toxoplasma or E, if you consume undercooked or raw meat. E. Salmonella Listeria and E. coli.

Bacteria could harm your child’s health and cause stillbirth or catastrophic neurological disorders like epilepsy, blindness, and intellectual disability.

• Raw eggs

Raw eggs may contain the salmonella bacteria. Salmonella infections may result in fever, vomiting, nausea, stomach aches, and diarrhea.

On rare occasions, the infection might cause uterine cramps, which may lead to early birth or a miscarriage.

• Unwashed produce

Unwashed or unpeeled fruits and vegetables may carry a range of bacteria and parasites on their surface. These include Toxoplasma, E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria.

Contamination can occur at any time during the process of production, harvest, processing, storage, transit, or retail. 

A parasite called toxoplasma that may survive on fruits and vegetables is potentially dangerous. The majority of toxoplasmosis patients don’t exhibit any symptoms. However, a few may have flu-like symptoms for a month or more.

When babies are born with toxoplasma bacterium infection, they typically have no symptoms. However, blindness or intellectual issues may manifest later in life.

Canned food pregnant: Consult your doctor

While pregnant, it’s crucial to avoid foods and beverages that could harm you or your unborn child.

The majority of meals and beverages can be consumed without any issues, however, some, such as alcohol, high mercury seafood, raw fish, and raw meat, should be avoided.

Additionally, certain foods and beverages like coffee and those with a lot of added sugar should be avoided to encourage a healthy pregnancy.

For healthier options that will provide you and your developing kid with the nutrition you need, speak with your doctor.

Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. theAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.