Is Cookie Dough Okay to Eat When Pregnant
Chewy, flat, and sweet – I think everybody can agree that everyone loves cookies. It's a type of famous snack that you can easily get on either bakery stores as baked or cooked, or see it along your favorite grocery lane and buy a ready to bake cookie dough, or buy all the wet and dry ingredients and make from the scratch and bake!
Cookies come in several varieties; especially nowadays where new flavors are being discovered and incorporated into every possible food that is applicable. Considering how modern and fast things are going today as well, food innovators are into more developing ready-to-eat foods. Currently, there are processed cookies on the market which have a longer shelf-life; this way you can store them for a long period of time. There is also ready-to-bake cookie dough where all you need to do is to literally add water or milk, mix and put it in the oven to bake.
But here where the question arises for pregnant people craving cookie dough – "can I eat dough while pregnant?" Well, let's find out and see.
Cookies and Cookie Dough
A cookie is referred to as the sweet and flat cake which has evolved over the years. It comes from different textures and flavors, while you can make your very own version at home. In fact, you can buy it online and have it delivered on your front door. Technology has almost make everything easier and possible than it was before!
Only a few people might know that there are several types of cookies and how you can make them; but, one thing is we're certain about – they all start as cookie dough.
Cookie dough pertains to the mix of wet and dry ingredients you need to make a cookie. Once all set, you scoop a portion, align it on the tray, and start baking. Ready to bake or store-bought cookie dough is also available if you don't have the time to weigh each ingredient on the table. This literally saves your time.
While the smell and appearance of it are quite tempting to taste, is it even safe to eat raw cookie dough? For expecting mothers, we understand that you have intense food cravings and cookie dough might be on your list, but have you ever asked yourself "can I eat store bought cookie dough while pregnant?" before digging in?
Health Risks on Eating Cookie Dough – Why it is Not Safe to Eat Raw Cookie Dough?
Commonly, you cannot bake a cookie without the primary ingredients and that includes cookie dough as the base form of a cookie. These primary ingredients include eggs and flour which are the key reasons why it is unsafe to eat cookie dough, most especially during pregnancy. Why?
According to a certain study, 1 out of 20,000 eggs is most likely to be contaminated with a strain of Salmonella that causes Salmonellosis. This bacterium can mainly be found on uncooked and unpasteurized eggs. It causes foodborne illness such as severe abdominal cramps, fever, and diarrhea. Once a pregnant woman is infected with the pathogen, although the probability of also inflicting harmful effects to the baby is low, the symptoms will be the same. Still, you should not underestimate consuming raw eggs during pregnancy. Take note, eating raw foods is what a pregnant woman should most avoid.
How about the flour? What makes it risky to eat when it is not a definite raw type of food? Flour is a ground powder form of seeds, roots, or grains and has several types and various applications in food. However, a certain type of pathogen can usually found on this ingredient – E. coli. This pathogen causes and is associated with few pregnancy infections like stillbirth and bleeding. In most cases, this causes severe diarrhea and vomiting, worsening the pregnancy situation of an expecting woman.
How About Eating Edible Cookie Dough While Pregnant?
Sure, there are available edible cookie dough on the market but it still depends on the ingredients used and its contents. Most likely, food manufacturers will tend to remove eggs and replace them twice with milk instead to eliminate the potential contamination with Salmonella. Flour remains on the list but what these manufacturers often forget is to treat the flour with heat instead. E.coli can live and survive to temperatures ranging from 7 °C to 50 °C and can be killed at 70°C and a
On the other hand, there are food manufacturers that strictly consider the health risks that their processed foods may bring. All you need to do is to find a trusted brand, read its ingredient list, and make sure that eggs are removed while flour is heat-treated.
However, if you are that confident enough to know if you are buying the right type, and you still ask the question yourself if you can eat edible cookie dough while pregnant, the best choice is to skip and check for other healthier options. Despite your pregnancy cravings, have someone by your side to help restrict and control the foods you eat. Do not forget that you are conceiving another human life inside your body. Either way, cookie dough contains fats and sugar which will not benefit your pregnancy and your baby's nutritional requirements. For a start, how about try sweet fruits?
Conclusion
During pregnancy, a lot of changes will change in terms of physical and emotional. Also, the expecting mother's body is at its most vulnerable state; she is required to take twice as much energy to spend every day. Due to this, they may start craving for various to suffice it, like having cookie dough.
"Can I eat cookie dough while pregnant?" – Yes but it depends. Best is stay away from it and wait until you've given birth. Eating heat untreated and unpasteurized foods is risky; this is due to the living and surviving bacteria that can be found in them. Even if little reports are saying that these can be consumed with precaution, will you still take the risk for your baby – I would rather not! So every time cookie dough is calling your name, regardless if it's a store bought and/or edible cookie dough, do your best to ignore it and find something way healthier.
Is Cookie Dough Okay to Eat When Pregnant
Source: https://www.simple30.com/food/can-i-eat-cookie-dough-while-pregnant/