Can you eat an impossible burger when pregnant?

In this article we are going to answer: can you eat an impossible burger when pregnant, what is an impossible burger, is it healthy to eat an impossible burger when pregnant, what is the risk of eating too many impossible burgers and how to add impossible meat to your healthy diet when pregnant. 

Can you eat an impossible burger when pregnant?

Yes, you can eat an impossible burger when pregnant in moderation. Impossible meat can be added to a healthy diet when pregnant. It contains most soy protein but it also has added preservatives and fillers for a better taste, shelf life, and texture.

Impossible meat is still a processed food and you need to eat it in moderation. It can be a good vegetable protein source. 

What is an impossible burger?

Impossible Burger is a plant-based alternative to use instead of animal-meat-based burgers. It was made to mimic the flavor, aroma, and texture of beef meat burgers. It is made from plant-based meat. 

What are impossible Foods?

Impossible Foods was founded in 2011 by Patrick O Brown. They make meat, dairy, and fish products from plants. They started with the mission of creating more sustainable products by eliminating the need to eat animal products. 

The mission of Impossible Foods is to make a global food system more sustainable. Their first product, the impossible burger debuted in 2016. They now have a variety of products made from plant-based proteins.

  • Impossible Burger
  • Impossible sausage
  • Impossible chicken nuggets
  • Impossible meatballs 
  • Impossible pork 

What is the risk of eating too many impossible burgers?

Impossible meat is still considered processed food. If you eat too many impossible burgers it can lead to rapid weight gain because of their sugar, calorie, fat, and sodium content. 

The consumption of more impossible burgers than healthy food can be fatal to pregnant women because it can interfere with proper fetal development.

If you gain too much weight during pregnancy there are several complications mom and baby can suffer.

  • Gestational Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Complications during birth
  • Baby health 

Gestational Diabetes

You can develop gestational diabetes, a condition where glucose or sugar in the blood is way too high and insulin can’t work correctly. You may need to take medication and the mother can develop diabetes even after the baby is born. 

High Blood pressure

You can develop eclampsia and preeclampsia. Both can lead to mother and baby complications and even death. 

Complications during birth 

If you gain too much weight it’s more likely that you end up in cesarean because vaginal birth tends to be more difficult with excess weight. Also, babies of mothers who gain too much weight are usually bigger. It can also lead to premature birth. 

Baby health 

Moms that gain too much weight tend to have babies with high birth weight and these babies have more risk of being obese and developing diabetes when older. The lack of nutrients in junk food can interfere with proper organ development. 

Babies of moms that didn’t follow a healthy diet during pregnancy have more risk of behavior disorders like depression, attention deficit disorder, and poor learning. Also, a lack of nutrients in a mother’s diet has been connected with autism. 

Is it healthy to eat an impossible burger?

Impossible burgers are still processed food. Ingredients of impossible burgers are still preservatives, fillers, and flavor enhancers. Here is the list of ingredients

  • Water, Soy protein concentrate, coconut oil, sunflower oil, natural flavor, 2% or less of potato protein, methylcellulose, yeast extract, cultured dextrose, food starch-modified, soy leghemoglobin, salt, mixed tocopherols, soy protein isolate, vitamins and minerals (zinc gluconate, thiamine hydrochloride, niacin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin and vitamin b12)
1 serving of 4 oz
Calories240 calories
Total Fat14 grams
Saturated fat 8 grams
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium370 mg
Total Carbohydrates9 grams
Dietary Fiber3 grams
Added sugarsless than 1 grams
Protein19 grams
Calcium170 mg
Potassium610 mg

This nutrition fact, does not consider any bun or any added ingredients to impossible burger meat. 

One serving of the impossible burger contains 19 grams of protein, 0 mg of cholesterol, and no antibiotics or animal hormones added. It can be considered a good source of vegetable protein with no cholesterol. It is certified gluten-free. 

It is also a good source of vitamins for those pregnant women eating a vegan diet. If you are on a healthy balanced diet you can add impossible burger meat. In general, when pregnant you should follow a healthy diet. 

Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. A few nutrients need special attention during pregnancy, like folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, and omega 3 fatty acids. 

  • Ideally, 2 servings of fruit and 5 servings of vegetables every day
  • Increase your intake of whole grains and cereal foods. Choose high fiber options
  • Milk, hard cheese, and yogurt are great options because they are high calcium foods.
  • Choose low-fat options and good fats: fats from vegetable sources like almonds, olive oil, and avocado. 
  • Choose lean proteins and choose low mercury fish options. 
  • Drink plenty of water
  • Always stay active
  • Avoid junk food whenever possible, it should not be part of regular meals
  • Check the labels before buying processed food to make the best option
  • Avoid buying canned food with syrup, look for canned food with plain/spring water or olive oil. 
  • Avoid pre-cooked or ready meals
  • Choose low-fat options 
  • Avoid food with added sugars
  • Avoid processed/undercooked meat
  • Skip fast-food restaurants, instead, try to do healthy meals at home 

Want to try a different recipe for impossible burger meat? Try this impossible burger meatball recipe. 

Other FAQs about Burgers that you may be interested in.

Can you cook hamburgers in the microwave?

How long can a hamburger thaw in the fridge?

Can you cook frozen hamburger patties?

Conclusion

In this article we are going to answer: can you eat an impossible burger when pregnant, what is an impossible burger, is it healthy to eat an impossible burger when pregnant, what is the risk of eating too many impossible burgers, and how to add impossible meat to your healthy diet when pregnant. 

Citation

https://blog.thermoworks.com/beef/meatless-burgers-temperature-matters/

https://greengirleats.com/cooking/can-you-eat-a-plant-based-diet-while-pregnant.html

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/impossible-burger

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!