Can I eat junk food while pregnant?
We all know junk food is crap (hence the name). It makes us fat, it fills ups up when we should be eating broccoli and some of it is full of chemicals that we aren't entirely sure what it does to lab rats let alone us, but it gets stepped up a notch when pregnant women are involved and that doesn't seem fair to me. Yes, there's a baby involved but I'm not sure the adamant holier-than-thou stance is called for.
Just so we're clear, junk foods are typically ready to eat convenience foods containing high levels of saturated fats, salt, or sugar; with little or no fruit, vegetables, or dietary fibre – or what I like to refer to as, "delicious".
Here are the reasons given not to eat junk food while pregnant:
- You will gain too much weight which you, no doubt, will not be able to take off and therefore run the risk of heart and high blood pressure problems after your pregnancy.
- You will gain too much weight and develop gestational diabetes and preeclampsia during your pregnancy.
- You will eat junk food in the place of nutritional food and you and your baby won't get the vitamins or protein you need.
- You will increase the likelihood of unhealthy eating habits in your child.
- You will be increasing your exposure to chemicals, preservatives and dyes that will be passed along to your child – they're not quite sure what that does but it probably isn't good.
Now, let's say, I dunno, you feel like an entire bag of chips after you've had your chicken breast and steamed vegetables for dinner. And let's say that you're on track with weight gain and you weren't obese before you got pregnant. And let's just say they're organic chips that were whittled by singing hippies and have nothing but good old, wholesome potatoes, salt and oil. Could I find anything about that? Nope.
Should you eat junk food? No. Should any of us? No. Should your diet be exclusive to cheesies and Junior Mints for your entire pregnancy? I doubt it. Should you hammer back an entire tub of Häagen-Dazs while you dust the chips crumbs off your belly because you feel like a beached whale anyway and you're hungry dammit? I'm going to go ahead and give that a resounding "Hell yeah, bitch". I probably shouldn't but I'm eating jelly beans and typing with one hand so screw it.
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8 Comments
Reader Comments (8)
Those small tubs of Haagen Dazs are pretty weenie. They are snack size, if you ask me.
Awesome! I prefer the Dairy Queen hot-fudge sundaes, which I was able to wolf down in about 13 steps from the ice-cream counter to the GO train on my treks home. I wouldn't be suprised if the Union Station DQ was out of business now that I'm on mat leave. I wasn't too worried about the milk-fat, though, as I don't believe they actually use real milk in their "soft-serve" concoction.
Everything in moderation! There is nothing wrong with a tasty treat once in a while!
I know it's bad. I feel guilty eating Momma Burgers at A&W, I really do. But my guilt is mixed with sheer delight at the salty deliciousness of a cheeseburger and fries. That is definitely my biggest weakness.
However! I eat my spinach salads,I eat my red peppers, broccoli, fish, chicken breast, apples, mangoes, bananas, health cereals, yogurt and my blueberries for folic acid. I try to get healthy foods in there every day. I walk a lot and swim!
So if I need to eat a (small) bag of delicious Lays BBQ chips or some sour cherry blasters or a glorious mickey dee's Big Mac then by god I am going to eat one!
Honestly, there have been times when I feel like "I've gotta eat what I want, when I want and when I feel like it." Because let's face it, most times I want to barf when I smell anything edible.
Therefore, my fetus has been dubbed "Old Dutch" from the fabulous Chips-for-Dinner weekend, because that's all I wanted and that is all I ate. For a weekend.
I find it difficult to eat my viggies in winter anyway because I'm already so damn cold. So I've been struggling with that.
I think I'm eating a lot better than I did before pregnancy...and worse. Maybe I'm just more aware of what I eat now, but I can't put down the sweets!
I can not wait to eat the mint cream biscuits and Tim Tams I bought the other day.
I hid them when people came over, simply because I never ever had any intention to share them.
Now I want to eat them and well,..... baby brain ( I do get it), do you think I can remember where I hid them.
NO!
You are hilarious! Even though I'm a nutritionist, I am completely a realist. Well said!