Can you eat kaya when pregnant?
In this article we are going to answer can you eat kaya when pregnant, what is kaya, is it healthy to eat kaya when pregnant, and what is the risk of eating kaya when pregnant.
Can you eat kaya when pregnant?
Yes, you can eat kaya when pregnant but there is a high risk of food poisoning because it is made with raw eggs. Raw eggs have a high risk of being contaminated with bacteria that can cause food-borne illnesses.
These bacterias are very dangerous especially in pregnant women because they can lead to miscarriage or pre-term labor. Also, kaya should be eaten in small amounts because it contains too much sugar.
What is kaya?
Kaya or coconut jam is a sweet spread made from coconut milk, eggs, and sugar. It is very popular in Asia. Kaya means rich, referring to the texture of coconut jam. In Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, kaya is also known as srikaya or coconut egg jam.
It can vary in color depending on the egg yolk and caramelization of the sugar. It used to be spread on toast for breakfast. In the market, you can find different types of kaya
- Nyonya kaya: lighter green color
- Hainanese kaya: darker brown a uses caramelized sugar and can be sweetened with honey
It is also popular because it is used to top some desserts such as pulut taitai or with glutinous rice to make kuih Seri kaya.
Is it healthy to eat kaya when pregnant?
No, kaya is not a healthy spread to add to your diet when pregnant. 1 tablespoon or 15 grams of kaya contains 45 calories, 9 grams of carbohydrates of which 8 are from sugar, 1 gram of fat, 0 grams of protein, and 8 mg of sodium.
Kaya is considered a high sugar content spread which makes it super unhealthy to add to your diet. It can be eaten in moderation but has a lot of risks to add to your diet especially if you have gestational diabetes or insulin resistance.
What is the risk of eating kaya when pregnant?
Kaya is a spread high in calories and sugar. Too much kaya can lead to rapid weight gain because of its sugar, and calories The consumption of jams high in sugar can cause harm to pregnant women because it is food that does not contain any nutrients.
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.
Apart from the risk of high sugar content, there is a risk of contracting salmonella because it is made with raw eggs. If you eat eggs that have not been cooked there is a risk of food poisoning. According to the FDA, raw eggs can be contaminated with salmonella or other food poisoning bacteria.
Salmonella is a bacteria that can be very dangerous in pregnant women. It also causes digestive symptoms like the other pathogens listed above. One important thing about salmonella is that it can cause bacteremia, a condition where there is bacteria in the blood and can be fatal to pregnant women.
Follow this link for more information about food-borne illnesses in pregnant women.
Other FAQs about Jam that you may be interested in.
Can you eat homemade jam when pregnant?
Can you cook jam in a slow cooker?
Conclusion
This article answered can you eat kaya when pregnant, what is kaya, is it healthy to eat kaya when pregnant, and what is the risk of eating kaya when pregnant.
Citation
https://www.gourmettraveller.com.au/recipes/explainers/what-is-kaya-17231
