There are so many things you have to give up when you become pregnant. You can’t drink alcohol, you can’t eat raw meat or fish, and you definitely can’t eat that tub of ice cream. However, the regulations don’t end there — you also can’t eat certain foods that could potentially harm your unborn child. That is why it is important to know if pepperoni is safe to eat while pregnant. Does this spicy cured meat contain folic acid? Is it too salty? Do its nitrites pose a risk? As it turns out, eating pepperoni while pregnant isn’t as straightforward as some people think. It might not be harmful to your baby, but that doesn’t mean you should overindulge in it on a regular basis. So what exactly does pepperoni do to your body?
What is Pepperoni?
You might not realize it, but pepperoni is one of the oldest types of cured meat products in the world. That’s right — this Italian delicacy has been around for centuries. In fact, it was invented as early as the 14th century. It was initially made from just two ingredients — pork and salt. Later on, it was discovered that mixing it with some black pepper would make it more appealing to the masses. The name “pepperoni” actually has a pretty interesting origin story. It’s believed that the word comes from the word “peperone”, which is a word Italians use to describe bell peppers. In addition, pepperoni is also a type of sweet pepper that hails from southern Italy. While it is commonly thought that pepperoni is made from Italian peppers, that’s actually not the case. Pepperoni is actually made from a type of spicy chili pepper called “pepperoncini”.
Folic Acid in Pepperoni
There is a lot of confusion surrounding folic acid and its relation to pregnancy. A lot of people think that all foods with folic acid are good for pregnant women. While it’s true that folic acid is necessary for the growth of the fetus, it doesn’t always make the food good for pregnant women. In order to understand if pepperoni contains folic acid, we must first understand what folic acid is. Folic acid is a type of B vitamin that assists in the development of the fetus’s neural tube. It also prevents neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Folic acid is essential for the development of the fetus, so you can be sure that most food contains it. However, that doesn’t mean that all foods with folic acid are good for pregnant women. Some foods such as pepperoni are high in folic acid but low in B-vitamins. That means that they provide your body with all the folic acid it needs, but they don’t give your body any of the other vitamins it needs. So while pepperoni does contain folic acid, you should know that it doesn’t contain other B-vitamins that are crucial to a fetus’s development.
Can You Eat Pepperoni While Pregnant?
So you’ve learned that pepperoni does contain folic acid and that it is a popular pizza topping. You might be wondering if you can eat it while pregnant. Well, the short answer is “yes”. You can eat pepperoni while pregnant as long as you don’t eat too much of it. Fortunately, pepperoni is not one of those foods that you have to avoid while pregnant. It does contain folic acid, but it also contains a lot of sodium, which is a danger to your baby. If you want to eat pepperoni while pregnant, you have to consume it in moderation. You should try not to eat more than one slice of pepperoni pizza a week.
Pros of Eating Pepperoni While Pregnant
There are a few pros of eating pepperoni while pregnant. Perhaps the most significant pro is that it contains folic acid. Folic acid is crucial to the development of the fetus’s neural tube, so it is important to have a steady stream of it during pregnancy. Another significant pro is that pepperoni has B-vitamins, which are crucial to fetal development. Another pro is that it is a low-calorie food. One slice of pepperoni pizza has about 200 calories. It is also relatively cheap compared to other types of cured meats such as ham or salami.
Cons of Eating Pepperoni While Pregnant
The biggest con of eating pepperoni while pregnant is that it contains too much sodium. As we mentioned above, salt can be harmful to your fetus, so you should be careful with how much of it you consume. Another con is that pepperoni can be high in preservatives. What’s interesting is that the amount of nitrites in the pepperoni has decreased since the 1950s. So while once it was potentially harmful to your fetus, it is not a threat to your fetus now. However, that doesn’t mean that pepperoni is completely harmless. You should still eat it in moderation and make sure it is fresh when you eat it.
Final Words
There are many misconceptions about what pregnant women can and cannot eat. Luckily, pepperoni is one of the foods that you can eat while pregnant. It does contain folic acid, which is necessary for the development of the fetus, and B-vitamins, which are crucial to fetal development. However, you should eat it in moderation. You shouldn’t eat more than one slice of pepperoni pizza per week. Another thing to keep in mind is that pepperoni is high in sodium, so you shouldn’t eat it too often. If you do these things, you can eat pepperoni while pregnant without harming your unborn child.