Soy sauce during pregnancy: can it be eaten or should it be avoided?
The soy sauce with its slightly savory flavor lends itself well to accompany many dishes: sushi and sashimi, but also meat, fish and vegetables. There are those who really can't do without it, but if you are pregnant can you eat it or is it dangerous? the pregnancy.
Characteristics and nutritional values of soy sauce
Soy sauce is a dark colored condiment with a distinctly salty flavor. It is used as an accompaniment to various types of dishes, and is produced from soybeans left to ferment. This is what the original Chinese recipe provides, but over time various types of soy sauce have developed, still commercially available and easily available in Italy.
It is composed of proteins, carbohydrates and a good dose of vitamins, but the main contraindication that concerns both pregnant and non-pregnant women is relative to the salt content. This last value is usually very high: just think that 100ml of soy sauce contains a quantity of sodium that goes beyond the daily risk threshold for the onset of hypertension.
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3 reasons to avoid soy sauce in pregnancy
If we wanted to give a unique answer to this question, it would be: no, better to avoid soy sauce if you are pregnant for the following reasons.
Soy contains phytoestrogens which can be one of the causes of incorrect baby development. In short, these substances would affect the growth of the fetus during the 9 months before delivery. This is one of the main reasons why this type of sauce is not recommended, unless consumption is really rare and occasional, in minimal quantities.
Another reason why if you are pregnant you would be better off not eating soy sauce is to be found in the high salt content. more attention. Consuming soy sauce often would only increase the salt intake, going beyond the recommended minimum threshold of 5g per day. Better to opt for aromatic herbs or spices to give flavor to dishes without excessively salting them.
Finally, there is another reason to avoid soy sauce in pregnancy: it is often prepared with fish marinades, and marinating is not a process that reaches high temperatures so it may not completely eliminate some bacteria and parasites that are dangerous for the continuation of the pregnancy.
Homemade Soy Sauce: Is It Safer?
Soy sauce is one of the most popular and popular condiments in oriental cuisine. It is easily found in all supermarkets, but it is also possible to prepare it at home trying to make it healthier and more genuine with a few small tricks. Everything is based on the fermentation process of the soy beans: this is a rather long period, to be considered well as it could take weeks or months to get the homemade soy sauce.
Ingrediants
- 450g of pre-cooked soy beans
- 350g of wheat flour
- 200g of salt
- 3.7L of water
Method
- Blend the soy beans with a blender until the mixture is smooth.
- Combine the wheat flour.
- Give the dough an elongated shape and divide it into slices about 1/2 centimeter thick.
- Take a disc of dough and place a moistened napkin on top.
- Alternate soy discs and moistened napkins.
- Place everything on a tray and let it rest for about a week in a dry place covered with film.
- After this time, remove the film and the napkins, placing the discs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and letting them dry until they become dark brown.
- Now proceed with the fermentation in water.
- Pour the water into a large pot, add the salt and the soy discs.
- Let it brew covered with cling film until the discs have completely dissolved.
- Occasionally stir the mixture with a wooden ladle.
- The soy sauce will be ready to be filtered.
- Take a jug, put a funnel with cheesecloth inside it and pour the soy sauce into it.
- You can divide the sauce obtained into small bottles to be kept in the refrigerator.
Other types of sauces prohibited in pregnancy
It is important that future mothers follow a balanced and healthy diet during pregnancy, paying particular attention to some foods including some sauces that we point out below.
- Fish based sauces
For mothers, all fish-based sauces such as oyster sauce, nuoc mam sauce, etc ... are prohibited as they are prepared with marinated fish and therefore not cooked at high temperatures.
Even if the sauces sold at the supermarket have a lower risk of danger thanks to the quality controls, it is preferable not to eat them for at least 9 months before giving birth.
- Sauces with dairy products
Even sauces based on fresh cheeses should be completely avoided, especially when it is not possible to ascertain the cooking of the cheese. It is possible to eat sauces with cheese if it is cooked at high temperatures. Sauces based on cream, milk or butter must necessarily be prepared with pasteurized products.
- Alcohol-based sauces
Sauces that contain alcohol are not recommended during pregnancy, this is because alcohol does not have time to evaporate while cooking the sauce and is one of the foods to be avoided altogether.
