Can you eat gelato when pregnant?
In this article, we are going to answer the question, can you eat gelato when pregnant? Also, we are going to answer what is the difference between ice cream and gelato, why you crave gelato, safety tips to eat gelato when pregnant, and considerations and risks of eating gelato when pregnant.
Can you eat gelato when pregnant?
The answer is yes, you can eat gelato when you are pregnant. There is no harm in eating gelato when pregnant. Usually, when you are pregnant, the NHS recommends not eating raw eggs. Gelato isn’t made with raw egg, but some flavors may include it.
What is the difference between gelato and ice cream?
Gelato comes from Italy, it is the Italian word for ice cream. Even if they do share similar ingredients they are different.
Both contain cream, milk, and sugar but gelato uses more milk and less cream than ice cream, also, the ice cream usually uses egg yolks. Gelato can feel softer because of the high content of the cream.
Because ice cream usually contains raw egg, it’s preferred to eat gelato instead of ice cream. Talking about nutrition, gelato is often preferred too because it contains less sugar, calories, and fat.
Nutrition difference between gelato and ice cream
| Vanilla Gelato | 3.5 oz90 calories3 grams of fat |
| Vanilla Ice Cream | 3.5 oz125 calories7 grams of fat |
Why do I have gelato cravings?
There is no specific reason behind your craving for gelato but I can assure you that you are safe eating gelato. Scientific research has shown that almost 50% to 90% of women in America have cravings during pregnancy due to hormonal changes.
What safety tips can I use to eat gelato when pregnant?
I’m going to give you some tips so you can eat gelato safely:
- Store-bought gelato
Is safe to eat. Usually, they go through high procedures to assure you it’s completely safe. Gelato from a self -serve machine may not be as safe because it may not be at the correct temperature and pathogens can grow. Also, listeria can contaminate machines.
- Homemade gelato
It’s also safe to eat homemade gelato if you follow the step by step recipe and you need to wash your hands correctly before and after doing it.
- Flavors to avoid
Here is a list of flavors you should avoid because they contain raw eggs. When pregnant you should not consume eggs because of the high risk of salmonella contamination.
- Tiramisú
- Málaga
- Crema
- Zabianoe
What considerations should I take in my diet?
You should be careful when pregnant to eat too much gelato because it’s a high caloric, high sugar food even though it is better than ice cream. In your second trimester you should only eat 340 calories more per day and in your third trimester only 450 calories more per day.
If you get into the habit of eating too much gelato, you are going to gain weight pretty quickly and it can be very dangerous for mom and baby.
In general, when pregnant you should follow a healthy diet. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. There are a few nutrients that need special attention during pregnancy like folic acid, calcium, vitamin D, and omega 3 fatty acids.
What is the risk of eating gelato when pregnant?
As mentioned above, eating too much gelato can make you gain weight quickly. 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 which is a state where your body has trouble producing and using insulin which leads to high glucose levels. 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.
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.
Other FAQs about Ice Cream that you may be interested in.
Does ice cream go bad in the fridge?
Conclusion
This article answered the question Can you eat gelato when pregnant? Also, we talked about the difference between ice cream and gelato, why you crave gelato, safety tips to eat gelato when pregnant, and considerations and risks of eating gelato when pregnant.
If you have any doubt, please let me know!
