To maintain the health of the womb, pregnant women must be more careful in choosing food. There are foods that can be consumed when you are not pregnant, but should be avoided during pregnancy. So, can pregnant women eat rice snails? To get the answer, let’s follow the explanation below.
Can pregnant women eat rice field snails?
In general, eating rice snails is fine. But because so far there hasn’t been much research on whether pregnant women can eat rice snails, the best way to confirm this is to consult an obstetrician. If your obstetrician gives you the green light, then you can enjoy this dish which is often referred to as tutut.
Basically, as long as it is processed properly, consuming rice snails does have quite a lot of health benefits. In terms of its contents, rice snails can be a good source of nutrition for pregnant women.
The protein content in rice snails is similar to the protein contained in beef. In fact, rice snails may be a better choice because their fat content is lower than beef.
Pregnant women who eat rice snails also don’t need to worry about weight gain. Because apart from being low in fat, rice snails are also low in carbohydrates.
One serving or around 113 grams of raw rice snails can contain around:
- Calories: 102
- Fat: 2 grams
- Cholesterol: 57 milligrams
- Sodium: 79 milligrams
- Carbohydrates: 2 grams
- Protein: 18 gram
As a bonus, rice snails are also a source of iron, magnesium, selenium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and vitamin A. These various nutrients can help maintain the health of the mother and fetus in the womb.
However, if you have a seafood allergy or have experienced allergy symptoms after eating seafood, pregnant women must be more alert. The reason is, rice snails can also be grouped with seafood, and can most likely trigger allergies.
Potential benefits of rice snails for pregnant women
There are a number of benefits that pregnant women can get by consuming rice snails. One of them is preventing and treating anemia due to iron deficiency which pregnant women are susceptible to.
Rice snails also contain omega-3 fatty acids which are good for maintaining heart health. Eating rice snails can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of high blood pressure in pregnant women. If left unchecked, high blood pressure in pregnant women can cause pregnancy and fetal problems.
The vitamin A content in rice snails can also help the immune system of pregnant women to fight dangerous diseases. Apart from that, protein, vitamin A and calcium can help the growth of mother and baby’s body cells to stay healthy.
Potential risks of rice snails for pregnant women
Apart from the possibility of an allergic reaction, there are also, you know, several potential risks that need to be considered regarding whether pregnant women can eat rice snails.
This risk could occur if rice snails are not cooked properly. For example, rice snails are cooked with inappropriate additives, or are not cooked thoroughly.
Often rice snails are cooked using ingredients that are high in fat or added with high sodium seasonings. So, even though rice snails themselves are low in fat and healthy, the end result of cooking them can actually be a source of high fat.
High intake of fat and sodium can increase the risk of cardiovascular disorders, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health problems.
Apart from that, if rice snails are consumed raw, or not cooked thoroughly, pregnant women are also at risk of developing a condition called rat lungworm disease.
Rat lungworm disease is a disease caused by parasitic worm infection Angiostrongylus cantonensis. Rice snails may carry this parasite if they come into contact with infected rat droppings.
Although it is rare, if a pregnant woman is infected with rat lungworm, she can experience eosinophilic meningitis. This is a severe brain infection characterized by headache, stiff neck, fever, nausea, and vomiting.
Fortunately, this infection can be prevented by cooking the snails thoroughly before eating them. Because the heat from cooking can kill rat lungworm parasites.
That is information regarding whether pregnant women can eat rice snails. If you still have various questions regarding types of food during pregnancy, don’t hesitate to consult an obstetrician.
