Can You Eat Miso Soup When Pregnant?

Can you eat miso soup when pregnant?

In this article, we are going to answer can you eat miso soup when pregnant, what is miso soup, what is the risk of eating too much miso soup, and what are the benefits of eating miso soup when pregnant.

Can you eat miso soup when pregnant?

Yes, you can eat miso soup when pregnant but you need to watch out for sodium intake. Miso soup is usually high in sodium and pregnant women have to keep sodium intake low, especially if they have preeclampsia or high blood pressure.

On the other side, miso soup is considered a fermented food that can bring benefits to pregnant women like reducing the risk of pulmonary tuberculosis and preterm birth.

What is miso soup?

Miso soups are made from a combination of miso and dashi. Miso is a fermented soybean paste from Japan that uses seasoning all over Asian cuisines. It can be found in soups, salad dressings, pickles, and marinades. The paste is made from fermented soybeans and barley or rice.

Dashi is the basis of Japanese soup stock that is basically made from dried bonito flakes, kelp, and anchovies. The combination of dashi + miso paste gives this soup a comforting, savory flavor that almost everyone enjoys.

Miso flavor has been described as salty and umami, umami is defined as a type of savory taste. The color of miso may vary between yellow, brown, or whitish depending on the ingredients.

Is it healthy to eat miso soup?

Miso has been known in Japanese culture as a soup with nutritional benefits for centuries. It has been used as a probiotic to strengthen the immune system, lower bad cholesterol, and provide vitamin B complex. Miso also contains 20 essential amino acids which make it a source of complete protein.

One ounce of miso, about 28 grams, contains 56 calories, 7 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fat, and 3 grams of protein.

It also provides a high amount of sodium, one ounce can provide as much as 1000 mg of sodium. It can provide 43% of the RDI based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Miso also provides manganese, vitamin K, copper, zinc, vitamin B complex, calcium, iron, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, and choline.

The fermentation process used to make miso makes it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients and proteins available. This process also promotes probiotic beneficial bacteria to grow. This bacteria, A oryzae, gives a lot of benefits to pregnant women.

What is the risk of eating too much miso soup?

Miso contains a lot of sodium. When pregnant, you need to watch your sodium intake, especially in the last trimester. Sodium can lead to weight gain, water retention, swelling, and increased blood pressure.

Sodium is a mineral that is part of many metabolic processes in our body. It is one of the minerals responsible for the correct fluid distribution. If you eat too much sodium, the amount of fluid or water in your body goes up and your heart works harder to pump more blood. This means blood pressure goes up.

If you have gestational diabetes, gestational high blood pressure, preeclampsia, swelling, or fluid retention problems it is best to avoid miso soup to worsen these conditions.

Gestational Diabetes

It is high blood sugar that develops when pregnant and disappears after delivery. It is a state where the body does not respond correctly to insulin. It can cause health problems for pregnant women and the baby.

Once you have gestational diabetes it can lead to blood pressure problems and fluid retention.

Gestational High blood pressure

Develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy and usually goes away after 12 weeks of postpartum. If you do not control blood pressure it can lead to low birth weight or preterm birth. You need to watch your sodium intake.

Preeclampsia

Develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy, Is a sudden increase in blood pressure, and also includes damage to some organs such as kidneys or liver. It can be serious for mom and baby’s life. You need to limit your sodium intake.

Follow this link for a low sodium miso soup recipe.

What are the benefits of eating miso soup when pregnant?

Even if miso has a high amount of sodium, it also has a lot of benefits for pregnant women’s health.

Improves digestion

May reduce the risk of cancer

Strengthen immune system

Good source of protein

Other FAQs about Soup that you may be interested in.

Can you eat miso soup while pregnant?

Can you freeze soup with cream in it?

Can you eat canned soup past the expiration date?

Can dogs eat soup?

Conclusion

This article answered Can you eat miso soup when pregnant, what is miso soup, what is the risk of eating too much miso soup, and what are the benefits of eating miso soup when pregnant.