Food is an important subject for pregnant women. As a pregnant woman you need food to give you energy and maintain your health during the pregnancy period.
The type of food than a pregnant woman eats while pregnant carries a great deal of significance. Actually, did you know that there are foods that you should eat while you’re pregnant and there are some that you should avoid at all costs? While there are foods that are nutritious and healthy for a pregnant woman, there are some that are harmful. It’s on the basis of this statement that the question of whether you can eat Subway tuna while pregnant happens to be an important one.
The simple answer to this question is that, yes you can eat Subway tuna while pregnant, but you should be careful on the amount that you take. This is where many pregnant women go wrong. While it is okay to take some foods, it is significant for you to be careful on the amounts that you should take especially if you’re pregnant. Remember, you’re carrying a baby inside you that depends on you for healthy development. Whatever you eat has an effect on your unborn baby to a large extent. So, you should be extremely careful on not only what you eat, but also how you eat it. Let’s get to learn more about Subway tuna and how you can eat it while pregnant.
The Major Nutrients in Tuna
Now that you have known that you can eat Subway tuna while pregnant, let’s delve into the nutrients that you receive after taking it. Part of the reason why people prefer certain foods to others is because of the nutrients contained in them. This food is rich in nutrients that are good for your healthy development and also for the development of your baby. During pregnancy, women should take foods that improve their health and also boost the development of their developing babies.
Some of the nutrients in tuna include: proteins, vitamin D, iron, vitamin B12, and omega-3. Proteins are good for you while pregnant because it plays an important role in facilitating growth. If you happen to take too little protein while pregnant, you increase the chances of miscarriage as well as low birth weight. If you ask any woman out there, they will tell you that there’s nothing as painful as losing a child through miscarriage, especially if it’s because of the effects of particular foods. Take note that too much protein has negative effects as well. So, it’s good to balance your protein intake to avoid falling victim of these effects.
The Omega 3 in tuna is important in facilitating the development of a baby’s eyes and brain. It also helps to reduce the chances of pre-term birth and maternal depression. Have you ever seen children who are born without being fully developed? This could be as a result of lack of essential omega 3s, which are present in tuna. Vitamin D is also another vital nutrient for a pregnant woman, and its present in Subway tuna. If you consume a good amount of this food, you will significantly reduce the risk of miscarriage and boost immunity.
Moreover, iron plays a crucial role in boosting the development of a baby’s nervous system. It also goes a long way to decrease the risk of pre-term birth and low birth weight. Most pregnant women who lack iron in their diet end up causing problems to their unborn babies. Lastly, Vitamin B12 is also known to prevent pregnancy complications, and it is widely present in tuna.
It might have come as a surprise to you, but eating Subway tuna has massive benefits for you during pregnancy. Having looked at the nutrients you’re likely to add to your body after taking Subway tuna, it’s apparent that you can take it while pregnant. The big question is the amount of tuna that you should take without risking your health and that of your child. In this regard, health experts assert that too much tuna is not good while pregnant. Taking the recommended amount of tuna is highly valuable if you’re a big fan of subway tuna. Now, let’s get to understand why it’s important to take the required amounts of Subway tuna if pregnant.
Why You Should Be Careful When Taking Subway Tuna While Pregnant
Yes, health professionals keep on encouraging pregnant women to take tuna because of the many benefits associated with it. In fact, fish is one of the foods that contain the required nutrients for a successful pregnancy in terms of the diet that one should take. But, you should take note that tuna contains mercury, which can be dangerous to your pregnancy. For this reason, it’s advisable that you avoid taking a lot of Subway tuna. Like they say, “Too much of anything is poisonous.”
Mercury is a natural compound. But, the alarming thing is that a large percentage of the compound in fish comes from industrial waste. Research shows that the levels of mercury have continued to increase in different kinds of fish, which is a worrying trend given that fish is a common food in many households. Well, tuna is a good example of the types of fish that have a large quantity of mercury in them. That is why it’s imperative for you to be extra careful on the amounts of Subway tuna that you consume on a weekly basis. As a pregnant woman, you can’t afford to risk your health and that of your unborn child.
It is dangerous to take high amounts of tuna because of the mercury levels in it. If you’re pregnant, it could potentially affect your child’s brain development as well as the development of the child’s nervous system. Here are some of the problems that your unborn baby is likely to develop if you eat high amounts of tuna:
- Visual problems
- Poor motor skills development
- Learning problems
- Memory difficulties
- Speech and attention problems
The above problems are enough indication that you should be mindful of the amount of tuna that you eat. You wouldn’t want your child to have development problems or deficiencies because of foods you could have avoided or controlled. In the worst case scenario, pregnant women who take high amounts of mercury risk causing the following effects on their children once they’re born: loss of senses like hearing, seeing, and smelling, birth complications, and seizures. Now that you’ve known that it is dangerous to take high amounts of Subway tuna because of the amount of mercury contained in it, it’s good to know how much of it is safe for you to eat.
The Quantity of Tuna That Is Good To Eat While Pregnant
If you’re pregnant and you’re craving some Subway tuna, you can go ahead and take it but make sure that you don’t take too much of it. You should take only the recommended amount for a pregnant woman. It is the dream and desire of every pregnant woman to have a good pregnancy without any complications, both for her and her baby. That is why it’s wise to check the quantity of what you’re eating.
In a week, you should take utmost 2 steaks of tuna with each steak weighing approximately 140g when already cooked and approximately 170g when uncooked. If you’re taking canned fish, it’s recommended that you take a maximum of four medium size cans per week. If you take more than the above-mentioned, you’ll be risking both your health and that of your unborn baby.
The bottom-line is that tuna contains important nutrients that are needed during pregnancy. Just like other varieties of fish, this particular one contains valuable nutrients required for the healthy development of a healthy pregnancy. However, as you’ve learned in this article, tuna contains high levels of mercury that is harmful to the body, especially for a pregnant woman. A pregnant woman is not only eating for her own, but also for the developing baby. As you stop over for a Subway tuna, you should put that in mind. If you consume high amounts of mercury contained in your favorite Subway tuna, you will highly likely cause harm to your baby. You will be putting your baby’s health at risk and increasing exposure to developmental challenges.
If you have to take Subway tuna, make sure that you take the recommended amount to reduce the risk of health-related problems. The good news is that you can find alternatives to tuna if you feel like it contains higher risks to your pregnancy. There are other foods that are able to provide you with the nutrients that tuna provides. You can even consider taking supplements to add those nutrients to the body. The valuable wisdom from this is that if you love Subway tuna and you have to eat it, while pregnant, from time to time, it’s prudent not to take it in high quantities as this could be harmful to your health and that of your baby.
