Can you eat medium-well burgers when pregnant?

In this article we are going to answer: can you eat medium-well burgers when pregnant, what is defined as a medium-well burger, is it healthy to eat a burger when pregnant, and what is the risk of eating a medium-well burger when pregnant. 

Can you eat a medium-well burger when pregnant?

No, you can eat a medium-well burger and if you choose to eat it, you need to be careful. You might think because it has no longer blood or it doesn’t look raw it should be safe but the risk of food poisoning is still there. 

Medium well burger meat is cooked up to 150 F or 65.5 C. To fully kill bacteria it needs to be cooked up to 165 F or 73 C. There is a high risk of food poisoning with toxoplasmosis, listeriosis, or salmonella. 

What is defined as a medium-well burger?

A medium-well burger is when the meat of your burger is cooked up to 150 to 155 Fahrenheit. The inside of the meat of your burger is warm to the touch and has a slightly pink color. If you cook it at a lower temperature it will look pinker and at a higher temperature, it looks less pink. Once cooked up to 160 F/71.1 C it is considered well done.

Is it healthy to eat a burger when pregnant?

No, burgers are not healthy to eat when pregnant but the nutritional content depends on the preparation method and added ingredients. Burgers from fast food restaurants are not healthy but made at home are much healthier. 

Burgers are a good source of protein, iron, and vitamin B12 but they come with a major problem of high-calorie content, high fat, high sugar, and refined grain buns. Burgers are considered junk food together with pizza and tacos but remember that the preparation method affects if it is considered healthy or not.

Try to look for healthy options with whole-grain buns, and hamburger meat made with lean meats so they contain less fat and do not add too many ingredients such as ketchup or fatty cheese. 

Hamburgers from restaurants also tend to be high in sodium which can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, preeclampsia, water retention, and swelling. 

What is the risk of eating a medium-well burger when pregnant?

If you eat medium-well burger meat there is a risk of food poisoning. According to the FDA, medium-well burger meat can be contaminated with listeria or other food poisoning bacteria. You always need to fully cook it. 

Although nowadays it’s very difficult to catch an infection, medium-well burger meat is a risk. The three main diseases you can contract are toxoplasmosis, salmonella, and listeriosis. 

Listeria monocytogenes cause listeriosis. If you let the bacteria go too far, it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and other health problems. 

According to the American Pregnancy Association, approximately 2,5000 people will get infected with listeria every year.

It means that it’s very rare to get infected but pregnant women are in a more delicate condition and need to be a little more careful because it could lead to fatal health conditions. 

Toxoplasma Gondii is the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. For a normal, healthy person, it usually doesn’t cause any symptoms but for pregnant women, it’s too risky, it can cause serious health problems.  One important thing to add is that once you contract toxoplasmosis you can’t contract it again. 

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. 

So why are pregnant women more likely to get infected? Because their immune system is compromised and does not work as well as for a healthy person. Also, remember that while the baby is not fully developed, the baby it’s at risk too. 

Symptoms include

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Chills and fevers
  • Muscle pain
  • In pregnant women, it may cause flu-like symptoms with fever and chills 

Burger also leads to weight gain and health problems. If you need more information on what happens to your body if you eat too many burgers, follow this link.

Other FAQs about Burgers that you may be interested in.

Can you eat a big mac without bun on keto

Can you eat a raw hamburger?

How Can I Make My Burgers More Flavourful?

 

Conclusion

This article answered Can you eat medium-well burgers when pregnant, what is defined as a medium-well burger, is it healthy to eat a burger when pregnant, and what is the risk of eating a medium-well burger when pregnant. 

Citation

https://time.com/4345052/burgers-healthy-red-meat/#:~:text=While%20burgers%20are%20good%20sources,ketchup%20and%20refined%20grain%20buns.

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