Salt Intake During Pregnancy
In addition to emphasizing the importance of avoiding the consumption of alcohol and tobacco, doctors do not stop giving warnings in other aspects, such as diet, and more specifically, in relation to the consumption of salt during pregnancy.
In general, salt is an ingredient that should always be consumed in moderation, as it is a mineral that greatly harms the body when ingested in an exaggerated way. However, there are those who should avoid it at all costs, such as people who suffer from hypertension for example.
Is salt a risky ingredient?
According to the Department of Pediatrics at the State University Hospital of New York, there is no reason to completely eliminate salt in pregnancy. However, care should be taken when there is a history of:
- Hypertension.
- Bad circulation.
- Risk of preeclampsia.
On the other hand, experts emphasize the fact that excessive salt consumption favors fluid retention, one of the most common discomforts during pregnancy. Therefore, they recommend eating a low-salt diet.
How does the consumption of salt affect the health of the baby?
The Monell Center for Chemical Research in Philadelphia advises that salt consumption is decisive in the health of the baby. To reach this conclusion, the experts carried out a study in which the evolution of a group of babies who had been born on a diet with a moderate to high amount of salt was followed.
In the end, they observed that the babies who had been pregnant during the first two trimesters on a high-salt diet, reached a maximum weight of 2.5 kg. In addition, they were predisposed from an early age to a predilection for salt in their diet.
Children who have a predilection for salt should consume less salt in their lives, to prevent diseases such as hypertension. Therefore, it is preferable to keep the consumption of foods rich in sodium to a minimum.
Once the study was published, doctors began to place greater emphasis on the importance of maintaining good eating habits and, above all, a preferably low salt intake.
In general, observations are made about sodium because this is the main component of salt. In this sense, its incidence on blood pressure, which tends to rise, is known. The body is able to regulate the amount of salt through urine or perspiration, but this does not give carte blanche for excesses to be committed. must be exceeded.
Balance in diet during pregnancy
Food greatly influences the health of the baby. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain a balanced diet, which includes all the food groups in their proper measure. Obviously, this means that you have to worry about paying attention to the nutritional value of each of the foods in order to be able to take advantage of them in the best possible way, without recharging them with salt, oil, sugar or other ingredients.
To regulate the consumption of salt, it is essential to start the control at the time of shopping, then in the kitchen, at the table and always taking into account the cravings. It is convenient to remove the salt shakers from the table and avoid cold cuts, nuts, olives and preserves.
Similarly, there are alternatives to cook with little salt or to eliminate it. For example, ingredients such as garlic, aromatic herbs, spices, olive oil and lemon juice, help to enhance the flavor of foods, without the need to resort to salt.
