Can I eat preserved eggs during late pregnancy?

Preserved eggs are a very special type of egg, which is mainly made by mixing duck eggs with some other substances. The main ingredients used to make preserved eggs are lime and alkali, so eating too much preserved eggs can cause certain harm to the human body. However, due to the good taste of preserved eggs, many people like to eat them, especially preserved egg and lean meat porridge and preserved eggs with green peppers, which are popular with many people. But for those who are in late pregnancy, can they eat preserved eggs?

Can pregnant women eat preserved eggs?

Many people like to eat preserved egg and lean meat porridge, but preserved eggs are not suitable for pregnant women for the following reasons:

1. Because preserved eggs are pickled by wrapping duck eggs in a mixture of pure alkali, lime, salt and lead oxide, which contains lead, if consumed frequently, there is a chance of causing lead poisoning. This can lead to symptoms such as insomnia, inability to concentrate, anemia, joint pain, slow thinking, and affected brain function. In addition, lead will replace calcium, affecting calcium intake and possibly causing calcium deficiency.

2. Preserved eggs contain too much lead. In order to promote protein coagulation, traditional preserved eggs add some heavy metals such as lead oxide or copper during the pickling process. If consumed for a long time, the lead or copper in them will accumulate chronically and be detrimental to health. If pregnant women eat preserved eggs during pregnancy, the impact will be greater.

3. If the lead contained in preserved eggs penetrates the brain, it will directly inhibit the secretion of growth hormone, causing children to be short, precocious puberty, obesity, etc. For the health of your baby, it is best not to eat preserved eggs during pregnancy.

4. After being pickled, the various nutrients in preserved eggs also undergo certain changes. In terms of protein content, fresh eggs contain 8.7 grams per 100 grams, while preserved eggs contain 13.1 grams, an increase of 4.4 grams; in terms of carbohydrate content, fresh duck eggs contain 9.8 grams per 100 grams, while preserved eggs contain 10.7 grams, an increase of 0.9 grams; the carbohydrate content decreased significantly, from 10.3 grams per 100 grams of fresh duck eggs to 2.2 grams, a decrease of 8.1 grams; in terms of vitamin content, vitamin A decreased from 1380 international units of fresh duck eggs to 940 international units, a decrease of 440 international units. Therefore, the nutritional value has also declined.

Precautions for eating preserved eggs

Although preserved eggs are delicious and have a unique flavor, they also have certain nutritional value. Many dishes use preserved eggs as an ingredient in cooking and are widely welcomed and loved by people. However, when eating preserved eggs, you also need to follow some precautions to avoid adverse effects on your health.

1. Infants, people with insufficient spleen yang, diarrhea caused by cold and dampness, and patients with cardiovascular disease, liver and kidney disease should eat less.

2. Preserved eggs contain a certain amount of lead, and if consumed frequently, they can cause lead poisoning. Symptoms include insomnia, joint pain, anemia, inattention, hyperactivity, slow thinking, and in severe cases, intellectual impairment and brain dysfunction. Therefore, special attention should be paid among students. Lead will replace calcium in the human body and cause calcium deficiency.

3. It is not suitable to eat preserved eggs in summer. The weather is hot in summer, and the temperature is high, which weakens people's gastrointestinal function and reduces the secretion of gastric juice. So in this season, gastric juice is more important to the human body. However, preserved eggs contain a lot of alkaline substances, which will quickly neutralize stomach acid after consumption, thereby reducing the barrier protection of gastric juice on the stomach and affecting the body's digestion and absorption of food.

4. Eating preserved eggs and brown sugar together can cause stomach pain. They are incompatible foods and should not be eaten together. Preserved eggs should not be eaten with soft-shelled turtle or plum.

5. Preserved eggs generally have spots. These black spots are the result of the reaction between sulfur and metal ions produced by the decomposition of protein in the eggs. Preserved eggs with high lead and copper content will have more spots on the surface. After peeling the shell, you can see that the egg white is darker green or occasionally has black spots. They are not suitable for purchase. In other words, you should not eat too many preserved eggs with more spots.