Can a breastfeeding mom eat fried foods?

The issue of eating fried foods during lactation is very relevant, especially in the first months of a baby's life. It is believed that fried foods are very harmful for adults, and even more so for children. Therefore, a nursing mother should be careful about fried foods. Can a nursing mother eat fried foods?

Why are fried foods harmful?

The process of preparing food for a young mother involves preserving all the useful substances in food. Many vitamins and minerals that are useful for the body are destroyed during the action of temperatures during cooking. Therefore, the main task is such a method of cooking food that can preserve vitamins and useful elements in it. Unfortunately, the frying process does not provide a sufficient vitamin composition of products after cooking.

In addition, oil is always used when frying. This product is harmful, since under the influence of temperature any oil, including olive oil, passes into a form that breaks down into saturated fatty acids. These acids are very harmful to blood vessels, since they participate in the formation of cholesterol plaques. This is very harmful for the mother herself, as well as for the baby. Also, during the frying process, oil breaks down into harmful products that can become carcinogens. These are the products that can initiate the development of oncological pathologies in the future, including in your child.

Therefore, if we talk about fried foods in general, they are harmful to the body of a nursing mother and her baby. But we need to understand some details. It is very difficult to completely give up fried foods in the modern world. Therefore, you need to fry foods correctly, you need to choose the right foods that do not lose their nutrients when fried. [ 1 ]

How to fry food properly? This is a very important question, because the taste and health benefits of food depend on it. And if the food is too fried, it can affect the taste of breast milk and your baby may refuse to breastfeed for reasons unknown to you.

The main rule is to use a minimum of oil for frying. If you choose oil, sunflower oil is considered more harmful than olive oil. But even olive oil contains harmful fats, so it should be used in minimal quantities. [ 2 ] Today, many frying pans have a non-stick coating, so it is best not to use oil at all if this does not affect the recipe or taste of the dish. You can also cook in a frying pan and preserve the beneficial elements in the products if you combine the frying process with stewing. To do this, at the beginning of cooking in a frying pan, you need to fry the product a little for flavor without oil or with a minimum amount of it. After that, you can add a small amount of water and bring to readiness. This way you can cook not only vegetables, but also meat, fish, while preserving proteins and microelements in beneficial concentrations.

Therefore, if we talk about the benefits or harm of fried foods during breastfeeding, then we cannot say for sure. Everything depends on the type of product, the method and method of frying. It is necessary to remember that even fried foods can be useful with the right cooking technique.

What fried foods can you eat while breastfeeding?

There is a group of products that are very useful during lactation, even when fried. These products include hazelnuts, peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds and squash seeds. They contain useful elements that do not disappear or become less active during drying. Such products are fried without adding oil, so they are more useful. [ 3 ]

Can a nursing mother eat roasted sunflower seeds? This is a very popular product and is often used as a snack. In fact, sunflower seeds are one of the healthy foods that should be in small quantities in the diet of a young mother. This is due to the large number of vitamins that this product contains. These seeds contain selenium, magnesium, vitamin A and E, copper, which have antioxidant properties. According to research, these antioxidants prevent cellular damage that often leads to diseases and inflammation. These nutrients prevent cancer by reducing and suppressing cell damage from oxidants and protecting tissue from damage by free radicals of the oxidant. Sunflower seeds can reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer due to their high content of phytosterols. They also contain a compound called lignans, which also protects against certain types of cancer.

Sunflower seeds contain a large amount of magnesium, which calms the nerves and relieves stress and migraines, thus relaxing the new mother. Magnesium calms the nerves by preventing calcium from entering the nerve cells and activating them. Most of the magnesium in the body is present in our bones and helps strengthen the bones. The seeds also contain tryptophan and choline, which help fight anxiety and depression. Choline improves brain function and increases memory.

These little seeds are a good source of folate. The vitamin is essential for the production of new DNA, which is needed to form new cells. Folate is an important part of the diet of breastfeeding women, as it promotes the formation of healthy neural tubes, adequate weight of the baby, and the proper development of the heart, spine, and brain in babies. Therefore, sunflower seeds, sprouts, and oil are considered very useful for breastfeeding mothers.

Therefore, sunflower seeds should be eaten, but you can’t overeat them. It will be ideal if you add these seeds, even fried, to a salad with olive oil, because in combination with fats, seeds are an excellent enrichment for the mother’s diet and her breast milk.

Can a nursing mother eat roasted peanuts? Like seeds, this is a very nutritious product. It contains many elements that are necessary for the healthy functioning of the mother and baby's body. The main microelements found in peanuts are:

1. Manganese – essential for healthy bones and energy;
2. Vitamin B3 – for the development of brain function and a healthy nervous system in infants;
3. Phosphorus – helps maintain bones, teeth and energy levels;
4. magnesium – for brain health, energy and electrolyte balance of nerve cells in mother and baby;
5. Vitamin E is an important vitamin for protecting cells from stress and damage;

Roasted peanuts can also be beneficial due to their macronutrient content. These nuts contain monounsaturated fats, which contribute to a healthy Mediterranean diet (a diet aimed at maintaining vascular health and homeostasis in general, which can be recommended for nursing mothers). Roasted peanuts also contain amino acids - our protein building blocks, which are indispensable in the mother's diet. Natural protein is also necessary for the baby for healthy growth and construction of muscles and all organs. Dietary fiber in peanuts helps lower cholesterol and control blood sugar levels. [ 4 ]

Conditionally useful fried foods during lactation

The way vegetables, meat and fish are cooked has a direct impact on the content of microelements and macroelements. Therefore, a nursing mother should know which products can be fried and how to do it so as not to harm her baby.

Can a nursing mother eat fried potatoes? Speaking of potatoes, it is a healthy and nutritious vegetable that is widely used in the diet of a breastfeeding mother. Potatoes are a healthy vegetable. They contain a lot of vitamin C, which provides many of the mother's needs when she cannot get it from citrus fruits. Potatoes also contain a lot of fiber, which regulates intestinal motility in mothers. Potatoes very rarely cause allergies in babies, so they can be a trial food product if the baby is prone to allergies. In addition, potatoes contain a lot of carbohydrates, which provide the mother with energy and keep her feeling full for a long time. [ 5 ]

Fried potatoes can contain all the benefits of this product if no oil was used in the cooking process. When frying potatoes in oil, partial fermentation of starch in potatoes forms a harmful product that can affect weight. Such fermented starch is also poorly digested and can cause bloating in the baby. Therefore, it is better to refrain from fried potatoes during lactation. But you can cook potatoes in an alternative way - you can dry them in the oven with other vegetables, for example, with carrots. In this case, the carrots will release juice, which will allow you not to add oil to the dish. At the same time, potatoes with carrots will be more useful than fried ones.

Can a nursing mother eat fried onions? This is a relative concept, because fried onions can be part of a certain dish. In this case, a small amount of fried onions, for example in soup, is allowed. If you just eat fried onions, then of course it can affect the child. First of all, onions can affect the taste of breast milk due to the pungent smell. It contains many extractive substances, so it can increase gastric secretion if it is consumed simply as a product. Therefore, fried onions during lactation can only be eaten in soup in small quantities with minimal frying.

Meat should be in the diet of every nursing mother. This product provides daily energy consumption, which is necessary to maintain homeostasis. Meat is a pure source of protein, which enters the body and under the influence of enzymes is broken down into amino acids. These elements participate in the vital activity of each cell of the body. The synthesis of breast milk occurs precisely from amino acids, which are the main building blocks of milk. In addition, energy is needed for the synthesis of milk, the source of which should be meat. A child cannot live a day without such an important component of food. But can a nursing mother eat fried meat? Of course, this method of cooking meat leaves proteins in an active state and does not affect the quality of the meat. But cooking with oil, and the formation of a large number of harmful substances during the frying process, casts doubt on the benefits of fried meat for the mother and her baby. But given that such meat has a pleasant taste, the mother often wants to eat such a product. In this case, it is recommended to eat a small amount of fried meat, but by cooking it over a fire. In this case, fatty oil does not leave a mark on the meat, and the amount of carcinogens is reduced.

What kind of fried meat should you give preference to? Can a nursing mother eat fried chicken? When answering these questions, it is important to note that the less you cook meat on the fire, the less it is subject to destruction and the formation of harmful substances. Pork is considered a tougher meat and requires longer cooking. Safe cooking of fried pork on the fire, especially for a nursing mother, can be a controversial issue. After all, pork should be fried longer, and accordingly, the heat treatment is stronger and the formation of harmful substances is higher. In this case, preference is given to chicken, which cooks faster. Therefore, fried chicken can be eaten in limited quantities with sufficient heat treatment. But lean pork is considered a less allergenic type of meat than chicken. Therefore, you can eat a piece of fried chicken only if you have already eaten chicken and have not noted an allergy in your child. [ 6 ]

If we are talking about fried meat, then we need to remember another product that mothers eat less often, but still - lard. Can a nursing mother eat fried lard? The product itself is very controversial in terms of its health benefits. There is an opinion that a small piece of fresh unsalted lard no more than ten grams in size is good for the body. It is believed that lard stimulates the production of bile and prevents its stagnation in the gallbladder. Perhaps this opinion is justified. But lard contains a lot of animal fats, which, due to their structure, are not absorbed by the human body and are not used for useful purposes, but quite the opposite. Such fats in the diet should be limited, especially for nursing mothers. During the frying process, such fats turn into a more liquid form, which is very harmful for blood vessels, for the stomach, for the whole body. Therefore, a nursing mother should not eat fried lard even with a strong desire, it is very harmful.

Can a nursing mother eat fried cutlets, because it is one of the forms of meat products? It is indeed a meat product that can be useful if cooked correctly. A mother can eat fried cutlets, but to get all the benefits of the meat contained in them, you need to cook the cutlets yourself. For cutlets, you need to take hypoallergenic meat - this can be lean pork, rabbit, sometimes chicken. The meat must be prepared for cutlets, but it is better to fry in a dry frying pan with a non-stick coating without adding oil, but you can add water. This can be an ideal dish in terms of composition and taste. In such cases, such fried cutlets can be eaten without fear for your baby.

Can a nursing mother eat fried liver? Liver is one of the main sources of iron, which is so necessary for the prevention of anemia for a mother after childbirth and her child. But also, you need to remember that the liver is an organ where detoxification of all harmful substances occurs. Therefore, harmful elements can accumulate there. And for pregnant women, children it is recommended to limit the consumption of liver in the diet. If you have anemia after childbirth, then you can include this product in the diet. But then you need to choose chicken liver, because these animals eat plant food, unlike pigs. You can fry such liver and eat it in small quantities. But frying should be safe with a minimum amount of oil. But if your baby has anemia, then loading yourself with liver is not reasonable, it can only cause an allergy. Iron does not pass through breast milk, so if you increase the amount of iron in your body, pushing on the liver, then this will not affect the child in any way.

Can a nursing mother eat fried pies? You should also forget about this product during breastfeeding. Pies do not contain any valuable food products, there is only a large amount of starch, which is harmful for mother and baby. During the frying process, many carcinogens are formed, so you should refrain from such a product.

Can a nursing mother eat fried mushrooms and fried champignons? Mushrooms are a plant product with a high fiber content. Due to this, there is a visible benefit from this product - increased peristalsis and intestinal motility. But the complex fibers contained in mushrooms delay food for a long time, since they are very long and difficult to digest. Therefore, mushrooms can cause bloating, heaviness not only in the mother, but also in the child. If you are an active mother who does not follow diets during lactation, you have a healthy child, and you eat a lot of food, then mushrooms can be in your diet. The process of frying mushrooms is the most acceptable cooking method for good taste. But before frying, it is recommended to boil the mushrooms in hot water, which will ensure their better processing. After that, you can fry them with a small amount of oil. [ 7 ]

Can a nursing mother eat fried eggs? In general, eggs are a very healthy protein product. They contain a lot of protein, which provides the body with energy. The egg yolk contains a high amount of vitamin D, which is in its active form. This vitamin is not destroyed when fried. But egg white is a very allergenic product, which is prohibited for children under two years old. Therefore, a mother can eat fried eggs, but in order not to cause an allergy, it is best to eat only the yolks. You can't eat a lot of eggs, you can limit yourself to a few a week - this will provide the necessary vitamins.

Can a nursing mother eat fried fish? Fish is the second product after meat that must be included in a mother's diet during breastfeeding. It is a large source of proteins, healthy fats, as well as calcium and phosphorus. All these elements are necessary for the baby to build tissues, bones and teeth. Fish cooks quickly, a few minutes is enough. This makes it possible to use different methods of cooking fish, including frying. Fried fish can be eaten by young mothers if it is cooked with a minimum amount of oil. You can also fry the fish in a frying pan, adding water instead of oil, and it will cook perfectly. What fish to choose? Can a nursing mother eat fried flounder? It is better not to eat flounder, as it is a predatory fish. In addition, flounder may contain increased levels of mercury. Therefore, it is better to give preference to white sea fish - hake, notothenia, low-fat catfish. [ 8 ]

Fried foods cannot be completely excluded from the diet of a nursing mother, since sometimes the body needs a small amount of such products. But in this case, you need to give preference only to those products that can be useful for the body and cook them correctly. Fried food can also be useful.