Can you eat kraft mac and cheese when pregnant?
In this article we are going to answer can you eat kraft mac and cheese when pregnant, what is kraft, is it healthy to eat kraft mac and cheese, what happens if you eat mac and cheese made with unpasteurized cheese, and is there a healthier option than kraft mac and cheese.
Can you eat kraft mac and cheese when pregnant?
Yes, you can eat kraft mac and cheese when pregnant. Kraft mac and cheese uses cheddar cheese. According to the NHS, all hard cheeses such as cheddar, parmesan, and stilton are safe to eat.
Hard cheese has a lower water content than soft cheese, which makes it harder for bacteria to grow.
As long as you keep your mac and cheese intake low. There is no risk for mom and baby. Mac and cheese is a processed food that can cause health problems if eaten in high amounts.
Once made, it needs to be stored in the fridge and eaten between 2 to 3 days after being cooked.
What is kraft?
Kraft Foods is an American food manufacturing and processing company. In 2015 it merged and became Kraft Heinz. This merger, arranged by Heinz’s owner, made Kraft-Heinz Company the fifth-largest food and beverage company in the world.
The company’s businesses are beverage, cheese, dairy foods, snack foods, and convenience foods. Some of the major brands are
- Boca Burger
- Capri Sun
- Claussen pickles
- Horsemen
- Jell-o
- Kool-aid
- Kraft Dinner
- Kraft singles
- Kraft Mayo
- Oscar Mayer
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- Seven seas dressings
- Velveeta
Is it healthy to eat kraft mac and cheese?
Kraft mac and cheese is not considered a healthy food. It is a processed product that does not have any beneficial content for your health. When pregnant you should avoid processed food as much as you can but if you eat it in moderation it should do you no harm.
One box of kraft mac and cheese contains 3 servings. 1 serving size of 2.50 oz or 70 grams contains 250 calories, 2 grams of fat of which 1 gram is from saturated fat, 560 mg of sodium, 49 grams of carbohydrates of which 9 grams are from sugar, 9 grams of protein, 110 mg of calcium and 2.5 mg iron.
It is considered a high carbohydrate, high-calorie, and high sodium product. Eat it in moderation or just when you really feel like it is not a good day for cooking.
What happens if you eat mac and cheese made with unpasteurized cheese?
The risk of food poisoning with Kraft mac and cheese due to the way the cheese used is made is small. Pregnant women are too susceptible to this type of food poisoning. They are 20 times more susceptible to having worse side effects.
The FDA says that soft cheese, unpasteurized, is 50 to 160 times more prone to be contaminated with bacteria, especially Listeria monocytogenes.
The main side effects you can experience with a foodborne illness:
- Blood or brain infections
- Seizures
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Miscarriage
- Preterm labor
- Headaches
- Muscle pain
- Fever
What happens if you overeat kraft mac and cheese?
Kraft mac and cheese can lead to rapid weight gain because of its calorie, carbohydrate, and sodium content. The consumption of more processed food like kraft mac and cheese 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 there a healthier option than kraft mac and cheese?
The healthier way to eat mac and cheese is to make it at home with high-quality ingredients. You can accompany mac and cheese with vegetables and lean protein to be part of your healthy diet. Follow this link for a healthy recipe for mac and cheese.
Other FAQs about Mac and Cheese that you may be interested in.
How to reheat kraft mac and cheese?
Can you eat kraft mac and cheese after the expiration date?
Conclusion
This article answered can you eat kraft mac and cheese when pregnant, is it healthy to eat kraft mac and cheese, what happens if you eat mac and cheese made with unpasteurized cheese, and is there a healthier option than kraft mac and cheese.
