A tasty treat like yogurt may help you cope with the hardships of pregnancy. But can you eat frozen yogurt while pregnant?
Commercially-made products are safe to consume during this time. Yet, pregnant women should avoid soft-served ones because of the risk of microbial contamination.
We will give you an in-depth explanation of when not to eat this treat during your pregnancy. Let’s join us!
Is Frozen Yogurt Safe During Pregnancy?
The good news is that commercially-manufactured products are typically safe to consume, even when you are pregnant.
On the other hand, soft-served products can be harmful because of the risk of listeria infection. For pregnant women, this infection may be fatal.
Why is Commercial Yogurt Safe?
Commercial products are usually safe to eat because they undergo pasteurization.
This process involves heating dairy products for a specified amount of time and at a particular temperature to destroy any germs existing.
This procedure helps to preserve milk and dairy products so that they may be safe for an extended period.
“Vat pasteurization” is a phrase used to describe the process of pasteurizing milk to initiate cultures for dairy products.
Manufacturers cook the milk and other fluid ingredients in a big tank for about 30 minutes at 145°F in this procedure.
As a result, you may take frozen yogurt from the supermarket as long as it is professionally made with a sealed package. Besides, it must not be past its expiration date.
Although the base ingredients for froyo are pasteurized yogurt, not all products come with the same number of probiotic bacteria.
Small quantities of live bacterial cultures may not withstand the flash-freezing procedure utilized to create frozen yogurts, resulting in this discrepancy.
As a result, the bacteria population in frozen-yo is frequently lower than in the original yogurts. However, the health benefits are similar.
What Should You Do Before Eating Froyo?
It would be helpful if you were more attentive and double-checked the labels on your frozen yogurt. Most popular brands, such as Bulla and Ben & Jerry’s, use pasteurized ingredients, making them safe to eat.
Even so, you might want to take a glance at the contents before purchasing yogurts from the supermarket.
If necessary, ask your doctor for advice. Health conditions are different from person to person.
Can You Eat Soft-Serve Frozen Yogurt While Pregnant?
As aforementioned, soft dairy products may not be safe to eat while pregnant. However, there are some cases where you can consume them.
When Can You Eat Soft-serve Froyo?
Manufacturers construct a machine so that it can produce immediate soft froyo. They formulate the machine to freeze the yogurt stiffer to fit in one cone.
You can eat soft sweets like these right when they come out from the machine instead of saving them for later.
Consumption of soft-serve frozen yogurt during pregnancy may be dangerous, as expectant mothers’ immune systems are getting weaker, making them more susceptible to infections.
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can infect people when they eat certain foods. They may grow and multiply rapidly in dark, wet, and chilly settings, such as a soft-serve distribution machine.
The same bacteria may be available in raw foods such as oysters and some types of sushi. You can also find it in ready-to-eat refrigerated items and store-cut vegetables and fruits.
Pregnant women who become infected may have flu-like symptoms and digestive problems.
Listeria might enter the placenta and attack the unborn child, resulting in early delivery, abortion, or even death.
When Can’t You Eat Soft-serve Froyo?
Many soft-serve treats, such as ice cream and froyo, now contain powdered pasteurized pre-mixes. Hence, they become less likely to carry Listeria and other germs.
Furthermore, unlike ice cream, froyo is acidic in nature, making listeria formation less common.
Current soft-serve machines are also self-pasteurizing. They continuously warm up at night to a high temperature to kill infections that may be there.
Many large fast-food restaurants that provide soft serve sweets have already invested in such technology.
So, if you’re pregnant, can you have a soft-serve froyo? The correct answer is that it depends.
The danger decreases if you have complete confidence in the machine and hygienic standards of the restaurant providing soft-serve froyo.
However, if you notice unsanitary places near or inside the machine, avoid the treat and go elsewhere to eat.
Finally, when it comes to froyo toppings, never go for pre-cut fruits. The Listeria there may put you and your child at risk.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about eating frozen yogurt during pregnancy. Please check because you may have the same problems.
1. How do you know if you have Listeria pregnancy?
Listeria infection in the mother causes moderate signs. However, the effects for the infant can be fatal: the baby might die in the uterus or experience a life-threatening illness after delivery.
Some symptoms in the baby include:
- Lack of appetite
- Fever
- Vomiting
- Irritability
- Difficulty breathing
If you have muscle aches, a fever, diarrhea, or nausea, see your doctor. Emergency cases happen if you have a stiff neck, high fever, or severe headache.
These symptoms might indicate severe infection, a potentially fatal listeria infection consequence.
2. Which is healthier, frozen yogurt or soft-serve ice cream?
Frozen yogurt appears to be no more or no less healthy than soft-serve ice cream in several ways. It is generally lower in fat, but it has the same amount of sugar.
Another aspect is that froyo – frequently comes with the same choice of toppings as ice cream. It won’t be any healthier if you add sauces, sprinkles, and other toppings to your treat!
Probiotic cultures that are “healthy” for your stomach and digestive system may be present in unfrozen yogurt.
However, there is no proof that froyo provides the same advantages since the freezing temperature eliminates any desirable “living” bacteria.
In general, you should only consume froyo and soft-serve ice cream in moderation during your pregnancy.
Before eating any of these products, consult your physician if you have diabetes (especially gestational diabetes).
3. Are all yogurts made with pasteurized milk?
Milk undergoes a pasteurization process before it accesses the marketplace, and this milk is the main ingredient for yogurt.
The phrase “unpasteurized yogurt” usually refers to yogurt that contains pasteurized milk but has not taken its own pasteurization procedure.
In this respect, the large bulk of yogurt-based products is unpasteurized yogurt. Hence, be attentive to the ingredients and manufacturing process before eating.
Conclusion
When you’re pregnant, you may have frozen yogurt as long as you’re careful to choose safe items for both you and your child.
Although commercial frozen yogurt is safer, double-check the contents, label, and expiration date before bringing it home.
Hopefully, you will find this article helpful. For any further information, please feel free to ask. Thank you for reading!
