Can you eat hungry jacks when pregnant?

In this article we are going to answer: can you eat hungry jacks when pregnant, what are hungry jacks, are hungry jacks healthy to eat when pregnant, what happens if I eat too many Hungry Jacks, and what healthy diet you should follow when pregnant. 

Can you eat hungry jacks when pregnant?

Yes, you can eat hungry jack when pregnant but you should eat just once in a while. Hungry Jack’s sells fast food, high in calories and high in fat. When pregnant, you need to avoid fast food as much as you can. 

Fast food can make you gain weight really fast and you can have complications with your pregnancy. If you already have gestational diabetes or problems with your blood pressure you should stay away from Hungry Jacks. 

What are Hungry Jacks?

Hungry Jacks is a company with more than 50 years of history in Australia. They started back in 1971 when Jack Cowin bought a franchisee of the Burger King Corporation and called it Hungry Jacks. Now, they have more than 440 restaurants that serve more than 125 M Australian beef patties every year. 

They sell a variety of fast food from breakfast, whopper and beef burgers, grill masters, and chicken burgers. bundle meals, plants based and vegan burgers, cafes, frozen bursitis, and desserts. 

Are hungry jacks healthy to eat when pregnant?

No, Hungry Jacks do not sell healthy food. They sell fast food and it can make you gain too much weight if you indulge too much in their food. I’m going to explain an example of a whopper burger with regular french fries. 

WhopperFries
Calories706 calories335 calories
Protein35.10 grams4.10 grams
Fat40.2 grams14.90 grams
Saturated fat12 grams1.70 grams
Carbohydrates48.5 grams44.40 grams
Sugar6.5 grams9.80 grams
Sodium539 grams530 mg

If you eat a Whopper and a regular size fries you are eating 1041 calories, that is almost half what you need to eat in a day if we base it at 2,000-2,300 calories per day. Also, you will eat 1069 mg of sodium in just one meal. Pregnant women should consume no more than 3000 mg of sodium per day. 

If you have high blood pressure or preeclampsia, you should not consume more than 1500 mg of sodium per day. 

You can consume Hungry Jacks just once in a while but you really need to look for a healthy balanced diet and if you have any condition listed before, do not eat fast food because it can have some serious health complications. 

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

Weight gain should be closely monitored because the mother and baby’s health depends on it. 

What happens if I eat too many Hungry Jacks?

Hungry Jack’s is a fast food and it normally contains too many calories and fat. It can lead to rapid weight gain and more health complications. Some complications of rapid weight gain can be fatal for the baby and mom.

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

Gestational Diabetes

You can develop gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is a state where blood sugar is high and can’t be regulated by insulin. 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. 

This is a table that can guide you on how much weight you should gain. Remember, that dieting while pregnant is very dangerous. It is very important to always include all food groups. Just limit your intake of sugar and junk food. 

BMI at beginning of pregnancy (kg/m2)Recommended weight gain during pregnancy (kg)
18.5 underweight12.5 -18.0 kg
18.5 – 24.9 healthy11.15 – 16 kg
25.0 -29.9 overweight7.0 – 11.5 kg
more than 30 overweight5.0 – 9.0 kg

Still craving a burger? Here are some healthy burger recipes.

Conclusion

This article answered can you eat hungry jacks when pregnant, what are hungry jacks, are hungry jacks healthy to eat when pregnant, what happens if I eat too many Hungry Jacks, and what healthy diet you should follow when pregnant. 

Citation

https://www.hungryjacks.com.au/menu/what-s-new

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/diet/red-rooster-hungry-jacks-shamed-as-most-unhealthy-fast-food/news-story/0dfccbc75868c1e4dfd49aabb82a92ba

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