Pregnancy is a very crucial period for expecting mothers, and it requires them to take great care of their own health as well as the baby’s. Perhaps nothing is more important during this period than maintaining proper nutrition, as it can have a dramatic impact on the health of the mother as well as the child. There are several different foods you can include in your diet to obtain the required nutrients. Paneer during pregnancy is one such food and is a fairly popular choice for Indian women.
Is It Safe To Eat Paneer During Pregnancy
One of the most common queries that tend to arise regarding paneer during pregnancy is regarding its safety. For the most part, paneer is perfectly safe, some might say it is even essential addition to your pregnancy diet.
This is because paneer is rich in protein and calcium, as well as other nutrients, and can help tremendously in meeting your necessary daily requirements. However, certain women may be lactose intolerant. In this case, since paneer is a product of milk, it is best avoided.
For everyone else, however, paneer is highly recommended. It is also advised that you have cooked paneer during pregnancy, as opposed to having it raw.
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Nutritional Value Of Paneer
Protein and calcium are especially high in paneer, which is one reason why the food is so healthy. Also, it contains high amounts of selenium and potassium, two minerals that do wonders for your emotional and physical well-being. Besides the 321 calories in every 100 grams of paneer, as per this source, it also contains:
Mineral Value Calcium 714 mg Saturated fats 16.07 g Protein 21.43 g Lipids 25 g Cholesterol 89 mg Vitamin A 214 mcg Carbohydrate 3.57 g Magnesium 8 mg Sodium 18 mg
Benefits Of Eating Paneer During Pregnancy
As mentioned above, paneer boasts a fairly rich ensemble of nutrients, particularly calcium, and protein. As such, it can offer a lot of benefits for those consuming it during pregnancy. These benefits include:
1. Provides energy
Pregnant women are all too often plagued by a lack of energy due to the increased demand and strain on their bodies. They often complain of feeling fatigued, and rightly so.
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Paneer, being rich in protein and calories, greatly helps remedy this and can provide you with a significant energy boost.
Related Reading: 11 Foods That Give You Energy While Pregnant
2. Helps relieve pain
Pregnancy is usually accompanied by no small amount of pain, especially on more vulnerable parts of the body like the joints. Pregnancy pains and aches could make pregnant women struggle to do their daily chores. As you can imagine, this can be more than a major inconvenience for pregnant women.
The anti-inflammatory properties of paneer can be of immense help in this regard, and can greatly help reduce pain during pregnancy.
3. Helps against early pregnancy issues
Particularly in the early stages of pregnancy, pregnant women can be faced with a number of issues and challenges such as nausea and morning sickness. The protein present in paneer can greatly help ward off these symptoms and provide you with some much-needed relief.
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4. Great source of nutrition
As mentioned above, paneer is a great source of protein, calcium, and other nutrients, and also has a rich caloric content. It can therefore be a game-changer when it comes to helping you meet your daily nutritional goals as recommended by your physician.
5. Helps control blood sugar
Pregnancy can often lead to fluctuations in your blood sugar. As you can imagine, this is not very healthy for you or the baby, and an increase in blood sugar can leave you vulnerable to a number of ailments. Paneer is really good at managing blood sugar levels, and as such, can help prevent this.
6. Helps manage body weight
Body weight is yet another thing that can be rather volatile for a pregnant woman. It is important for both your health as well as that of your baby that you maintain a healthy body weight.
Paneer is incredibly good at satiating your hunger and can therefore ensure that your body weight remains in check.
Related Reading: Being Overweight During Pregnancy- 10 Potential Complications
7. Helps in the baby’s teeth and bone formation
As mentioned above, paneer contains a healthy proportion of calcium and phosphorous. As such, it can be tremendously helpful when it comes to the formation and development of your child’s bones and teeth.
It also contains minerals that can prove greatly beneficial in the demineralization of your child’s bones as well as developing proper functionality in their nervous system.
8. Lowers the risk of birth defects
Being a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids, paneer can play a major role in averting the dangers of preterm delivery defects in pregnant women and dramatically lowers the risk of the child being born with birth defects.
How Much Paneer Should I Eat In A Day During Pregnancy?
Another very common query that tends to arise regarding paneer has to do with the ideal amount to be consumed per day. However, there is no one correct answer to this.
A pregnant woman can get a lot of the nutrients and calories she needs every day from paneer, so eating at least a few pieces of it every day would be very helpful. However, as with everything else, moderation is the key here.
Although paneer has many health benefits, it is possible to experience negative effects from eating too much of it.
A daily intake of approximately 100 grams of paneer is thought to be optimal. It is best consumed in the morning. As it contains everything you need to stay full until your next meal, you won’t binge or indulge in overeating after having a bowlful, like with a salad. Therefore, it will benefit you in the long run if you include it in your morning meal. You can use it to make a salad or a quick snack.
Since the right amount is different for each person, the best thing to do would be to talk to your doctor or dietitian about it. They will be able to give you a more informed opinion.
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Precautions You Need To Take While Eating Paneer During Pregnancy
Nothing ever comes without its risks, and despite the several nutritional benefits boasted by paneer, it is no exception. Like all other foods, there are some things to be considered, and some precautions that need to be taken before including paneer into your pregnancy diet. Some of these precautions are as follows:
- Buy it from a reliable source: Paneer is usually available from a number of different sources. While this is really convenient, it can also increase the likelihood of you coming across paneer of sub-par quality and putting yourself at risk of food-poisoning and related issues. As you can imagine, this can be quite risky. To prevent this, make sure your source is reliable and the paneer is fresh.
- Be aware of its expiration date: Make sure the paneer you buy is always fresh, and nowhere near the expiration date. This can help prevent you from consuming harmful paneer containing mold, bacteria, and so on.
- Make sure it is made from pasteurized milk: Always make sure the paneer you acquire is made from pasteurized milk, as unpasteurized milk can very easily lead to indigestion. The best option will always be to consume homemade paneer.
- Do not consume it raw: Raw paneer during pregnancy is not at all advised, as it may contain bacteria or other foreign substances that can pose a significant risk to you. Always make sure your paneer is properly cooked.
- Check for discoloration, dryness, cracks, etc.: Always make sure the paneer is of good quality – keep an eye out for discoloration, cracks, dryness, and so on, as these can be clear indications of poor quality. If you happen to notice any one of these things, it likely means that the paneer is not suitable for consumption.
Which Paneer Is Best During Pregnancy?
Paneer can be acquired from a number of different sources, ranging from a local supplier to a supermarket, or even through online purchases. However, as you can imagine, the different kinds of paneer will also differ in quality and health benefits. Therefore, yet another very common question that tends to come up regarding paneer has to do with what kind is the most suitable for an expecting mother.
As mentioned above, it is highly advised that you make sure the paneer in question is made of pasteurized milk and is far from expired.
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Furthermore, it is strongly advised that you stick to homemade paneer dishes rather than purchasing them from outside sources.
As a source of protein, paneer should be consumed on a regular basis as part of a balanced diet. However, this does not imply that you eat it in all forms. Equally important is the method of preparation.
Scrambled paneer, paneer tikka, and other pan-fried or roasted paneer preparations are all healthy options. Butter masala and shahi paneer are both high in fat and should be eaten sparingly or avoided altogether, despite their delicious flavors.
In conclusion, paneer can prove to be a very important part of your diet during pregnancy. Anyone who is not lactose intolerant can pretty much not afford to ignore it. So long as you take care to acquire the best kind available, and consume it as advised by your dietician, it is sure to provide you as well as your baby with a tremendous amount of nutrition and health benefits.
FAQs
Fresh paneer has to be used quickly because it spoils easily. Paneer only remains fresh for a day or two in the refrigerator. If you leave it that way for too long, it will not only lose moisture and harden, but it will also harbor germs that are harmful to your health.
Paneer should have a spongelike consistency and contain no moisture. When paneer has gone bad, you can tell because it turns a pale yellow color or develops brown spots all over its body. Touching it would make it watery and the smell would be awful.
Paneer can be kept fresh for up to a week when refrigerated after being wrapped in a damp muslin cloth. If you do that, it will maintain its freshness for a longer period of time. Wrap it securely from all sides and wet the cloth every four to five hours to keep it moist.