Ham sausage is a popular meat product among consumers, characterized by its delicate texture, tender and refreshing taste, easy portability, simple use, and long shelf life. And now many businesses have made ham sausages into various flavors. So, can pregnant women eat ham sausages?
Pregnant women should be cautious when eating ham sausages. Ham sausages are mainly made from livestock and poultry meat, supplemented with fillers, and then added with seasonings, spices, quality improvers, color protectants, preservatives, and other substances. They are made using processing techniques such as pickling, chopping, and high-temperature steaming. During the production process of ham sausages, some food additives such as nitrate and nitrite need to be added.
After nitrate and nitrite enter the human body, they can synthesize strong carcinogens with amines under suitable conditions (appropriate pH value of gastric juice), and carcinogenic effects can occur regardless of the amount. Due to the addition of preservatives, color enhancers, and color protectants, the burden on the human liver is increased. Therefore, it is generally not recommended for pregnant women to eat ham sausage. However, if pregnant women have a particularly poor appetite and want to eat it for a while, it is okay. However, excessive consumption is not allowed, and a small amount is acceptable.
Moreover, ham and other products are mostly high sodium foods, and excessive consumption can lead to high salt intake, causing blood pressure fluctuations and kidney function damage. So ham sausages are classified as junk food, and those loose and unlabeled ham sausage products are particularly worrisome, so pregnant women should avoid eating ham sausages.
