Can pregnant women eat sour cream? This may be one of the most common questions women ask during pregnancy. Sour cream is a prevalent dairy nourishment that’s frequently combined with potatoes and utilized in foods like soup or chili. Since sour cream may be a dairy item, you’ll wonder whether it’s alright to eat it when pregnant.
Pregnancy ordinarily comes with a vulnerability, particularly when knowing what foods are considered secure for you and your baby. Read this article on Hipregnancy to learn whether you can eat sour cream while pregnant.
Is sour cream pasteurized?
Sour cream is usually made with pasteurized milk. Therefore, any harmful bacteria will be killed off during this process.
However, remember to buy sour cream from good supermarkets and restaurants to avoid its possible damage. This product should be pasteurized and has to be marked. However, unpasteurized or ‘raw’ dairy products for sale at farmer’s markets or farm shops may be found, and you shouldn’t use them, especially a pregnant woman.
Unpasteurized sour cream may contain the bacteria listeria, which can make your unborn baby very unwell and may lead to miscarriage or stillbirth in rare cases. [1: netmums.com]
So, is sour cream a healthy choice for a pregnant woman? Let’s continue to learn the answer to this question.
Also Read: Benefits Of Yogurt During Pregnancy
Can you eat sour cream while pregnant?
A common question among pregnant ladies is, “Can I eat sour cream while pregnant? This part discusses the answer to this question.
Sour cream is regularly used in small amounts as a condiment. Be that as it may, you will discover yourself coming to it for it more frequently if you’re pregnant, as numerous pregnant women frequently need higher-fat foods.
Sour cream is generally high in fat. Aside from the fact that sour cream is pasteurized, it can cause gestational diabetes in pregnant women. In other words, pregnant women should not use that too much during this period.
The best answer to the question that, “Can pregnant women eat sour cream?” is that pregnant women must consume it in moderation. [2: Healthline]
Also Read: cream cheese pregnancy
Nutritional value of sour cream
Consuming sour cream while pregnant provides several health benefits due to its high nutritional value. The following table shows 2 tbsp serving of sour cream nutrition facts, including;
| Nutrition | Amount |
| Calories | 59cal |
| Carbs | 1.3 grams |
| Fat | 5.8 grams |
| Protein | 0.7 grams |
| Phosphorus | 3% of the DV (Daily Value) |
| Calcium | 3% of the DV |
| Vitamin A | 4% of the DV |
| Vitamin B12 | 3% of the DV |
| Vitamin B2 | 4% of the DV |
| Magnesium | 1% of the DV |
| Potassium | 1% of the DV |
| Choline | 1% of the DV |
[ 3: healthline ]
Benefits of sour cream in pregnancy
Pregnant women can safely consume light and pasteurized sour cream. In general, light sour cream contains low calories and high calcium. So, these two features are excellent during this period.
The benefits of sour cream in pregnancy are:
- The sour cream contains a lot of calcium for the mother and baby. Pregnant women need a lot of calcium during this time because the baby gets enough calcium from the mother’s body. So pregnant can enjoy eating sour cream.
- Some brands of sour cream contain probiotics that can boost heartburn and acid reflux. They also help digestion and other common stomach-related issues during pregnancy.
- Sour cream contains calcium, protein, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, and vitamin A, providing your total nutrient intake.
So pregnant women can enjoy sour cream in moderation, but must consider health issues. [4: loveloveloveblog]
Also Read: Goat Cheese While Pregnant
The Potential Health Risks of Consuming Sour Cream During Pregnancy
Pregnant women can eat a moderate amount of sour cream as part of a healthy and balanced diet. However, if you eat large amounts of sour cream daily or follow a high-fat diet in general, close monitoring is needed as consuming sour cream may increase your risk of the following problems:
- Foodborne illness
Foodborne diseases are caused by the contamination of food and can arise at any stage of the food delivery, production, and consumption chain. Dairy products and unpasteurized milk, such as sour cream, can contain harmful pathogens, such as Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, and Campylobacter, which cause food poisoning.
Experts believe food poisoning during pregnancy can lead to serious complications, such as miscarriage, premature birth, and even stillbirth. Therefore, pregnant women can eat sour cream that has been pasteurized and consumed before its expiry date.
- Undesirable weight gain
You, as a pregnant woman, should follow the right weight range to ensure your and your baby’s health. Gaining too much weight can increase your and your baby’s risk of the following health problems.
- Gestational diabetes
- Macrosomia or having a large baby
- Birthing difficulties leading to cesarean section
- Hypercholesterolemia
- Hypertension
Also Read: meringue pregnancy
How to consume sour cream during pregnancy?
Dairy products such as sour cream are a rich source of calcium and are important during pregnancy for fetal bone development. Pregnant women can safely consume sour cream if they follow the instructions below. Following some simple tips can help keep you and your unborn baby safe when consuming sour cream:
1- Pregnant women should choose sour cream and, in general, dairy products that are low in fat and sugar.
2- Choose pasteurized sour cream wrapped in a box. Discard the packaging if it leaks or bulges, indicating contamination.
3- Pregnant women eat sour cream with the most recent manufacturing and packaging date. It will ensure the freshness and safety of the product.
4- Do not eat sour cream, which smells bad and seems too watery.
5- Store sour cream in the refrigerator at or below until ready to eat. Remember that refrigerators kill harmful bacteria. If sour cream is stored for long periods, bacterial contamination can begin, making the product unsuitable for consumption. Especially pregnant women who can’t eat sour cream.
6- Avoid consuming homemade sour cream as it is difficult to pasteurize properly, which increases the risk of bacterial infection. [5: momjunction]
The last words
Sour cream, like other dairy products, is completely safe to consume during pregnancy.
Pregnant women can eat sour cream and enjoy it, but they must look for the word “sterilized” on the label when choosing a product and always store it at a safe temperature in the refrigerator.
It is important to consider the expiration date and to consume sour cream before the expiration date stated on the label. In the end, also consuming sour cream doesn’t put any health risks; its high intake may not be healthy.
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