Craving chicken soup during pregnancy is normal among pregnant ladies, but is it safe? The short answer to this question is yes, but you should ensure all chicken soup ingredients are safe for you while pregnant. Do you know which chicken soup is healthy? If not, don’t panic!
In this article on Hipregnancy we will cover the top points all pregnant ladies need to know regarding the consumption of chicken soup during pregnancy. Read on for more information if you are a chicken soup lover!
Is chicken soup safe for pregnant ladies?
Overall, chicken is one of the best and safest foods pregnant women can try. Chicken can be used in several dishes like, soups and salads. (Read more on chicken salad while pregnant).
Chicken soup is considered safe to consume while pregnant as long as
- chicken is cooked thoroughly and reaches an internal temperature of 165 F,
- vegetables are entirely washed before cutting and adding to your soup,
- and eaten in moderation.
The best form of chicken soup for pregnant ladies is homemade soup. Consuming homemade chicken soup during pregnancy is better than canned since commercially-made soups are rich in sodium.
Since too much sodium during pregnancy can increase the chance of hypertension, and negatively affect kidney function in both mom and the baby, pregnant ladies are advised to limit their sodium intake.
Now is the time to see why consuming chicken soup while pregnant is good. Check the following part to find out the health benefits of chicken soup for pregnant ladies.
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What are the benefits of having chicken soup during pregnancy?
Chicken soup is a rich source of protein, fiber, vitamin C, iron, B vitamins, and vitamin K. The top health benefits of including chicken soup in your pregnancy diet are as follows:
- Since chicken soup contains protein, it is great for increasing blood volume, the growth of maternal tissues, muscle building, and the development of the fetus.
- Having chicken soup during pregnancy first trimester helps alleviate the signs of morning sickness.
- Chicken soup during early pregnancy can improve your appetite and help you include more nutritious foods in your pregnancy diet to support the growth of the fetus.
- Another health benefit of eating chicken soup during first trimester is releasing energy that macros provide due to its B vitamins content. The same goes for two other trimesters of pregnancy.
It is good to know that using a pregnancy macros calculator can help you find how many macros you receive from your foods, including chicken soup.
- Chicken soup can keep you hydrated, particularly when vomiting causes dehydration during pregnancy.
- This soup is rich in fiber; therefore, consuming it can decrease the chance of pregnancy-related constipation, promote heart health, and lower the risk of preeclampsia and diabetes.
- Eating chicken soup during pregnancy provides vitamin C to your body, which is needed for wound healing, the development of your baby’s teeth and bones, improving collagen production, and boosting immunity.
Various recipes for chicken soup are available worldwide, and pregnant women can have them in moderation if the ingredients are safe for pregnancy.
In the following parts, we want to discuss some popular types of chicken soup and check whether they are safe for pregnant women. Are you ready to learn points? Let’s continue.
Chinese chicken soup for pregnancy; safe or not?
Chinese chicken soup is one of the best dishes you can enjoy while pregnant, but some points need to be considered.
The first point is that having homemade Chinese chicken soup during pregnancy is better than having it at a restaurant. Making Chinese chicken soup at home ensures all the used ingredients are safe and healthy for you.
The second point is that if you order takeout or at a restaurant, check if the chicken soup has added glutamate or MSG, salted noodles, and sweet corn. It is not recommended to have added MSG, glutamate, noodles flavored with salt, and canned sweet corn while pregnant.
The last point is for all chicken soups; Chinese chicken soup is not an exception. The key to having soups when pregnant is to have them hot or warm. So, if your soup is cold, you should reheat it before consumption.
Follow the above points and enjoy having delicious Chinese chicken soup!
Is it okay to have black chicken soup during pregnancy?
Black chicken is a small breed of chicken with black skin and bones. This chicken is called Silkie in China and Kali Masi or Kadaknath in India. But the question is: “can pregnant women have a soup made with black chicken?” Yes!
Generally speaking, black chicken is more nutritious than regular chicken as it contains more nutrients like B vitamins, protein, calcium, fat, phosphorus, and antioxidants.
Black chicken soup has a unique flavor, and it is beneficial for pregnant ladies, but it should be well-cooked and low in fat and sodium to be a pregnancy-safe dish.
Consuming black chicken soup during pregnancy provides several health benefits, including;
- Strengthening liver and kidneys
- Boosting immunity
- Nourishing the blood
- Preventing oxidative stress
- Reducing cell aging
- Promoting body function
Hipregnancy recommends you consult your health professional before including this chicken soup in your diet to learn how much you can have it.
Chicken noodle soup during pregnancy
You might crave chicken noodle soup when pregnant as it is tasty. But is it good for you and the unborn baby? It depends on the noodle type you add to your soup.
To put it another way, noodle chicken soup is safe for pregnant ladies if it is made with non-salted noodles and taken in moderation. Hipreganancy advices you not to have chicken soup with salted noodles, like Asian noodles.
Consuming chicken noodle soup during pregnancy benefits you like other pregnancy-safe soups and provides essential nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy.
Can you reheat chicken soup when pregnant?
Overall, pregnant ladies can eat leftovers, but they should not have cold leftovers. The same applies to chicken soup. In other words, you can reheat the chicken soup and consume it when pregnant without experiencing health issues.
The only point to be considered is that you should not reheat your chicken soup more than once. Reheat your chicken soup and serve it while it is hot.
Do not forget to have your chicken soup within a few days after making and not keep it for a long time in a refrigerator. Always try to have fresh dishes during pregnancy.
Chicken soup recipe for pregnancy
Chicken soup is always at the top of the list of healthy pregnancy dinner recipes. Various recipes are available for this soup, but here we want to provide you with one of the easiest. Let’s see what its ingredients are and how you can make it.
Ingredients
- 300 g of shredded roast chicken
- 3 small carrots
- 2 onions
- 150 g peas
- 1.4 liters of chicken stock
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt to taste
Instruction
- First, fry carrots and onions in olive oil for 10-15 mins.
- Then, stir in the chicken stock and simmer for 10 mins.
- At last, add cooked chicken and stir for a few more minutes.
- Pouring half of your chicken soup is great if you prefer more consistency. If not, just follow the first tree steps.
Conclusion
Soup is an easy-to-digest food for pregnancy, and chicken soup is a tasty example of soup you can have when pregnant. Consuming chicken soup during pregnancy is good for the mom and the developing fetus as it is rich in all they need to be healthy, including protein, fiber, fat, calcium, iron, etc.
This article on Hipregnancy aimed to cover the guidelines expecting moms need to know regarding chicken soup and pregnancy. Hope it provides you with the points you wanted to learn.
If there are still any missed points or unanswered questions, share them with us via comment. The Hipregnancy team is always here to help you!