Chicken: Your Top Source of Protein during Pregnancy

 

It probably is your first time pregnant. That’s why you clicked on this specific article. Many people have a different opinion on what can or cannot be eaten during pregnancy. Among these foods, we would like to discuss chicken. Before we go into the details, here’s a fun fact about chicken that you might not know—chicken is one of the most widely consumed meats in the world, and the most consumed in Singapore! 

Now, for the daunting question: is it ok to eat chicken during your pregnancy? The answer is yes! Not only will chicken not bring any sort of harm to you during your pregnancy, it could also be beneficial when prepared properly. 

Benefits of Chicken for Pregnancy

Chicken is a highly nutritious food that is packed with protein. During pregnancy, your body is basically going into overdrive in order to produce enough energy and nutrients for you and your baby. Your body looks to keep up with the intense demands of your body during pregnancy, such as to provide necessary support for muscle building and strengthening. Hence, during this period, protein is one of the most important nutritions for your body.

Chicken is considered “white meat”, as opposed to “red meat” which includes beef, pork, and other similar animals. One benefit of white meat over red meat is the lower fat content in general, which makes it the ideal choice of protein for mothers who are looking to keep their body fat low while still getting a healthy dose of protein. To lower the fat content even more, you may choose to have chicken dishes without the skin.

Furthermore, chicken is rich in vitamin B3, which promotes brain development and overall brain health. Not to mention chicken also contains various vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin E, and selenium that keep your body energized and promote metabolism. Another amazing benefit of chicken is that it helps with the development of new cells in your body with it’s iron and zinc. Compared to other types of poultry, the iron in chicken can be absorbed more easily by the body.

For the same reasons, new mothers after delivery can eat chicken to help them with recovery too! For a well-balanced meal, we would recommend you enjoy chicken with other vegetables like carrots, broccoli, kale, spinach and other dark green vegetables.

Safe Ways to Have Chicken During Pregnancy

That said, for the wellbeing of you and your baby, there are a few things to keep in mind when you have chicken during pregnancy. First of all, go for fresh chicken meat as opposed to frozen chicken or any processed version of chicken, such as chicken sausages, or canned chicken. 

Furthermore, you must ensure that the chicken is fresh and fully-cooked before you consume. Raw meat, including chicken meat, may contain a bacteria called listeria. Infection with listeria is called listeriosis.  While listeriosis mostly causes minor discomforts for most people, it is more serious for pregnant women. Listeriosis infection of unborn babies is likely to cause miscarrige or stillbirth. Hence, it’s extremely important for you to avoid all types of raw meat during pregnancy.

Now that you understand the goodness of chicken and the safe way to have it during pregnancy, we have an easy recipe of delicious and nutritious chicken dish to share!

Sesame Oil Chicken

Of course, we could not just have you reading this article without leaving you this simple yet tasty recipe—sesame oil chicken! Contrary to popular belief, there are more ingredients than just sesame oil and chicken. 

The ingredients required are 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, some ginger peeled and cut into strips, around 350 grams of chicken, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, half a cup of water, and some ground white pepper to taste. 

Heat up a skillet or wok over high heat and add the sesame oil. When the oil is fully heated, add the ginger strips and stir fry until light brown or aromatic. Add the chicken and stir fry for about 10-15 seconds before adding the soy sauce and ground white pepper. Add the water and do a few quick stirs. Cover the skillet or wok with the lid and turn the heat to low heat and let the chicken cook for about 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the meat becomes tender. Dish out and it is ready to serve!

This is also a dish that is suitable for you to enjoy during your confinement too! Speaking of confinement dishes, many other traditional Chinese confinement dishes also include chicken. For example, black chicken soup! Black chicken soup benefits include its Carnosine antioxidant which keeps you healthy, and it’s good for your muscles and nervous system too!

Next time you hear someone asking “can we eat chicken after delivery?” and also during pregnancy, you now know the answer to help a sister out! And if you are wondering what happens after pregnancy and want cooking done by professionals, check out Tian Wei Signature to elevate your confinement dining experience!