Eating Junk Food During Pregnancy – Is It Safe for You & Baby?

Key Takeaways

• Junk food cravings during pregnancy are completely normal, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy.
• While occasional processed food doesn’t harm, excessive or daily junk food consumption can have ill effects on the baby.
• Rapid hormonal changes during pregnancy sometimes make pregnant women crave foods they used to dislike before.
• Eating a well-balanced diet full of fibre and essential fats can help keep cravings away.
• Eating foods high in sugar or fat can alter the brain chemistry of the fetus and make them addictive too after birth.

Eating junk food during pregnancy may not look harmful, but your everyday food choices can affect your health and your baby’s development. Fast food during pregnancy is not good for the pregnant woman’s health either. That said, enjoying your favourite fast food occasionally is not usually a cause for concern; regularly eating foods high in added sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats can make it harder to meet your increased nutritional needs. Now that we know the relationship between junk food and pregnancy is not a healthy one, it is important to learn how to make better food choices without feeling guilty about occasional treats. Read this article to learn about the harmful effects of eating junk food during pregnancy and how you can satisfy them.

Is Junk Food Safe During Pregnancy?

Eating junk food during pregnancy is generally not a reason for worry if it is prepared and stored properly. However, a majority of junk food, such as burgers, desserts, onion rings, and pizzas, contain an excess amount of trans fat, salt, or sugar, as most of them involve deep frying.

If you crave junk food but are afraid of trans fat and hygiene, you can prepare it at home as well. This way, you can be mindful of the amount of fat, salt, or sugar you’re adding to a particular food. Regularly eating large amounts of fast food, sugary snacks, and salty packaged foods can cause excessive calorie intake, making it harder to meet the ideal nutritional needs during pregnancy. In fact, too much salt intake is known to cause high blood pressure.

Secondly, junk food may not always be prepared in hygienic conditions, nor does it always contain pasteurised cheeses or juice items. Thirdly, some junk food may contain raw or undercooked meat, which could also harm the pregnancy.

Always ask the vendor or restaurant whether the food is pasteurised or unpasteurised. Thus, health advisories like the NHS suggest keeping the consumption of junk food very limited and only from hygienic places, and to choose a varied diet during pregnancy (1).

The bottom line is that occasional treats can be taken during pregnancy. Make sure to not neglect balanced meals, sensible portions, and safe food preparation rather than feeling guilty about every craving.

Why Do Pregnant Women Crave Junk Food?

Rapid hormonal fluctuations can cause changes or aversion for some smell and food during pregnancy. Here are some possible reasons why you might crave junk food during pregnancy

1. Hormonal changes: Fluctuations in the pregnancy hormones may affect your sense of taste and smell, making certain foods more appealing than usual. Foods you previously enjoyed may suddenly seem unappealing, while salty chips, sweet desserts, or spicy snacks may become more tempting.

2. Comfort foods: Favourite foods can feel comforting during pregnancy, particularly when you are tired, stressed, or experiencing mood changes.

3. Convenience: Busy schedules, irregular meals, and increased hunger can make readily available fast food an easy choice.

4. Food habits: If you regularly turn to pizza, burgers, or sweets for a quick treat, familiar habits may influence what you crave during pregnancy.

5. Nutritional deficiency: If you crave non-food items such as soil, chalk, or clay, it could indicate a condition called pica, which should be discussed with a doctor.

Harmful Effects of Eating Fast/Junk Food While Pregnant 

There are several harmful effects of eating fast food or junk food while pregnant. Not only are junk foods processed, but they are also highly concentrated sources of salt, sugar, and processed fats. Junk food may also contain artificial colours, flavours and chemicals.  Here are ten harmful effects of eating fast/junk food while being pregnant:

1. It Offers Zero Nutrition

Sugar, salt, fats, and everything unhealthy – this is junk food summarised in a nutshell. Your baby needs a healthy dose of essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and healthy fats for his/her proper growth and development. If you consume junk food, you and your baby will not receive these important nutrients, and organs such as the brain, heart, lungs, and even the bones will be affected in the process!

2. It May Result in Obesity

Junk food leads to obesity when overindulged. Obesity then becomes a cause of preeclampsia, preterm labour, miscarriage, high birth weight, and birth defects. In fact, the maternal diet, including sugar-sweetened beverages and fried foods, may increase the risk of obesity in the foetus and rapid early childhood growth, as concluded by a 2020 study published in Nutrients (2).

3. It May Result in Unhealthy Dietary Preferences

Junk foods don’t wipe their slate clean once you’re done eating them. Even after you’ve consumed them, slowly and subtly, they alter your unborn baby’s eating preferences from the inside. You’ll notice your baby craving unhealthy and processed foods after being born, and this leads to health implications down the line (3).

4. It May Be a Cause of Allergies and Asthma

As per a study published in the European Respiratory Journal, children of parents who ate junk foods during pregnancy, having free sugars disguised under names like high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, fruit juices, and honey, had an increased risk of allergies and asthma by the age of 7 and 9 (4).

5. It May Alter Brain Chemistry

Women who eat junk foods during pregnancy can alter their babies’ brain chemistry and program them to be addicted to unhealthy food sources. A 2013 study published in the FASEB Journal revealed that the babies of pregnant rats who ate junk foods were addicted to high-sugar and high-fat foods when they weaned (5). Children will no longer experience ‘the feel-good’ hormones through eating healthy food and thus be in bad physical/mental shape.

6. It Increases the Risk of Heart Disease

Eating excessive junk food with high added sugar can become a cause of heart disease (6).  If you continue to advocate the habit of junk food, your kids and the next two generations will experience these risks early on in their lives, and so will you, as confirmed by a 2016 study published in the Cell Reports (7).

7. It May Cause Dysfunctional Peripheral Insulin

Overconsumption of junk food may cause dysfunctional peripheral insulin, which may become a potent cause of obesity in a child.

8. It May Cause Digestive Problems

Eating junk food can cause bloating, indigestion and gas and interfere with your regular cycles of healthy bowel movements. Since junk food doesn’t have essential fibre content, it can impact your digestive health.

9. It May Increase the Risk of Gestational Diabetes

Junk foods lead to an increased risk of gestational diabetes since they are high in sugar and caloric content. Gestational diabetes can create serious problems during pregnancy and delivery. Your baby may be born with excess birth weight or be at risk of preterm birth.

Fast Food or Junk Food You Can Eat While Pregnant

Focusing only on fast foods you have to avoid can be a mood-downer. Switch that thought with eating healthy fast food during pregnancy. Here are some options to indulge in when you are craving junk food during pregnancy.

1. Baked potatoes

Baked, not fried. Baked potatoes are an excellent choice for pregnancy cravings, all thanks to the blood-pressure-lowering potassium, fibre, and vitamin C. Since it is also filling, your mind won’t travel to other high-calorie or high-fat fast food choices. Remember to go easy on sour cream or cheese topping when preparing yourself a baked potato snack.

2. Hamburger

Seriously? Hamburger? Yes, but with a healthier version. Go with a single-patty hamburger with plenty of veggie fillings. Also, remember to skip heavy mayo and barbecue sauce, and go for light and healthy mustard sauce or low-sugar tomato ketchup

3. Tacos

Tacos is also a great craving food. Skip quesadillas and burritos, and go for healthy tacos with beef or pinto beans filling and veggies. Treat it like a snack, and don’t overeat. Stick to 1-2 tacos to keep your calories in check and ensure a healthy baby.

Junk Food to Avoid While Pregnant

Allow us to give you eye-opening information. The following fast foods are actually not as healthy as you think when it comes to pregnancy:

1. Salads

The pile of salad you think is one of the healthiest can actually be high calories. Toppings like dried fruits, nuts, chicken, and eggs can increase the calorie content of salads from 80 to 800 straight away. Then, the dressings that we add for flavour can add another 200 calories. So, to make a wise choice with salads during pregnancy, make sure to opt for low-cal salads with dressings on the side.

2. Smoothies

Smoothies are often marketed as the healthy version of fast food – loaded with fruits and veggies. However, many times, smoothies come loaded with fruit juices that are only the sugar part of the fruit. Moreover, if you go for chocolate smoothies, those are also sugar-filled smoothies, taking you on a sugar rush pretty easily.

3. Grilled Chicken

Although chicken is considered to be a low-fat protein source, some grilled chicken salads or sandwiches may account for more calories than a single hamburger patty and sodium content above 1000mg, almost half of a day’s recommendation. Therefore, it is very important to check calories and sodium before eating anything, even if it is homemade.

4. Soups

Soups from fast food outlets come with lots of sodium, besides being high in fibre and low in fat. Plus, fast food outlets not only add sodium, they also add plenty of other ingredients, like food colours or enhancers, that might not be safe for the unborn baby and the mother. So, if you are craving a good, warm soup, make it at home.

Junk Food in Pregnancy: How Much Is Too Much?

Whether it is okay to eat junk food while pregnant or not depends on your portions. Although an occasional slice of pizza or a mini burger doesn’t hurt, pregnant women must take care of portions whenever they eat junk food. However, it is important to remember that ultra-processed foods or junk foods may increase a pregnant woman’s exposure to phthalates, well-known endocrine disruptors predominant in food contact materials, as concluded by a study published in the Environment International (8).

Tips to Stop Junk Food Cravings

On certain days, you might crave unhealthy food during pregnancy. Here’s what you can do when you do crave a pizza or burger.

• Stock up on healthy snacks. Dates, anjeer, fruits, avocados, peanuts, boiled eggs, and puffed makhanas are some healthy snacks you should consider. You will also get your dose of essential vitamins and protein from these sources. It is recommended to look for healthy substitutes for pregnancy food cravings, such as Greek yoghurt instead of ice cream.

• Cook at home. This will save up on grocery bills plus save your health as well! It’s good for your kids too since you’ll be setting an example. Make baked foods over fried foods for optimal nutrition and well-being.
• Distract yourself from cravings by going for a walk or doing something else whenever cravings strike. In time, cravings slowly dissipate, and you’ll be getting off the vicious junk food addiction cycle.

• Plan your daily meals for the week. By knowing what you’ll be eating later on, you’ll be eliminating thoughts and cravings, plus be healthy!
• Eat small meals spread throughout the day. This will eliminate hunger, regulate metabolism, and reduce unhealthy food cravings.
• Relax a little. Take up yoga or meditation and learn to live mindfully. High-stress levels lead to junk food cravings, and by eliminating stress from your life, you win your upcoming battles.

When to Consult a Doctor?

While pregnancy cravings are normal and justified, some require medical intervention. If you crave ice cream or sour cream, it is fine. However, if the craving goes beyond food, such as chalk, raw rice, soil, clay, paper, metal, and paint chips, it is an indication of a medical condition called pica. The Cleveland Clinic, it should be discussed with a medical expert (9).

FAQs

1. How can I find healthy fast food during pregnancy?

Here are some ways to do that:

• You can go for the kids’ menu. Kids’ menus are often designed specifically to keep health in focus. Plus, small portions mean meeting cravings without overeating. 
• Several restaurant chains offer only healthy meals and snacks. You can find them online.
• Whenever you eat calorie-dense food, skip the sauces and dressings to avoid loading up on calories. Aim to go for plain or with healthier sauces like 100% no-sugar tomato ketchup or plain mustard.

2. What do I eat instead of potato chips, Cheetos, and nachos?

Looks like you are craving salty snacks. If you liked to have Cheetos, nachos, and potato chips before pregnancy, now you can go for kale chips, seaweed, and beet chips.

3. What can I have instead of ice cream?

Instead of buying packaged ice cream, make it at home with healthy ingredients like bananas, strawberries, cocoa powder, and mango. You can also have frozen yoghurt or fruity yoghurt prepared at home.

4. Can my cravings harm my baby during pregnancy?

No, cravings do not indicate anything wrong with the fetus during pregnancy. However, if your cravings make you eat too much junk food when pregnant, it could lead to serious health effects for the fetus. Thus, it is important to be mindful of what you eat to curb your cravings.

5. Is craving ice cream during pregnancy normal?

Craving ice cream during pregnancy is completely normal during pregnancy.

6. How do I control my junk food craving during pregnancy?

You can manage your junk food cravings during pregnancy by maintaining a healthy, balanced diet that keeps you full fr a longer time, by staying hydrated, and by diverting your attention to mindful things like paintings or music.  

Take extra care when eating out and eat healthy whenever possible. Exercise a little, eat frequently but healthily, and when you stick to consistency, you’ll watch those cravings disappear. Happy motherhood!

Also Read: 

Burgers During Pregnancy
Eating Cake while Pregnant
Consuming Pizza in Pregnancy
Is It Safe to Eat Ice Cream in Pregnancy

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Sources References

1. NHS – Have a healthy diet in pregnancy

2. National Library of Medicine – Effects of Maternal Dietary Patterns during Pregnancy on Early Childhood Growth Trajectories and Obesity Risk: The CANDLE Study

3. Frontiers – Perinatal Western Diet Consumption Leads to Profound Plasticity and GABAergic Phenotype Changes within Hypothalamus and Reward Pathway from Birth to Sexual Maturity in Rat

4. ERS Publications – Maternal intake of sugar during pregnancy and childhood respiratory and atopic outcomes

5. The FASEB Journal – A maternal “junk-food” diet reduces sensitivity to the opioid antagonist naloxone in offspring postweaning

6. JAMA Internal Medicine – Added Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Among US Adults

7. National Library of Medicine – Maternal Metabolic Syndrome Programs Mitochondrial Dysfunction via Germline Changes

8. ScienceDirect – Ultra-processed and fast food consumption, exposure to phthalates during pregnancy, and socioeconomic disparities in phthalate exposures

9. Cleveland Clinic – Pica