“Can I eat hot Cheetos while pregnant?”
When you go through the first trimester of your pregnancy vomiting at the thought of eating anything at all, you might be excited about the prospects of craving odd combinations during the second and third one. Well, hot Cheetos might be one of the things you suddenly start daydreaming about.
Pickels and whipped cream, pineapples and pizzas, and french fries and milkshakes might be every woman’s desire when she’s hangry or PMSing, but your Cheeto cravings are making you wake up at 3 a.m. with Cheeto dust smeared over your mouth. Pregnancy cravings aren’t for the faint of heart, right?
Now, nobody knows for sure whether pregnancy cravings are caused by hormonal or physiological changes you go through when you’re expecting a baby. Whatever the case might be, you’re out here begging your partner to purchase the fifth bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos of the day.
But should you keep eating this salty snack during your pregnancy? Read more down below!
Can I eat hot Cheetos while pregnant?
We’re happy to announce that you don’t need to renounce your hot Cheeto obsession because you’re allowed to eat them while pregnant as long as you keep your diet balanced.
When you’re deciding on what to eat when you’re expecting a baby, more often than not, you need to opt for something that’s going to nourish your baby. Hot Cheetos, unfortunately, aren’t nourishing whatsoever. However, there’s nothing stopping you from munching on these spicy, crunchy snacks from time to time.
Before you throw away the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos you’ve been dying to devour, remember that you need to satisfy your own cravings, too.
With that out of the way, know that you shouldn’t eat hot Cheetos on a regular because they’re packed with unnatural, synthetic, artificial ingredients that aren’t good for you or your baby.
A single serving of hot Cheetos contains 170 calories, 250 mg of sodium, and 11 g of fat, all of which put you and your baby at risk of GI problems, high blood pressure, and weight gain.
To make matters even worse, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are super spicy which might cause a myriad of GI problems such as nausea, heartburn, vomiting, and diarrhea. When you’re craving hot Cheetos, make sure you don’t eat more than a single serving at a time. Moderation’s the key with these!
What are hot Cheetos made of?
We don’t mean to shame you for munchin’ on hot Cheetos while you’re pregnant, but there’s a chance you might change your mind when you uncover what they’re made of.
Cheetos are made with different ingredients, colorants, and additives, depending on the flavor. Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, which seem to be the bane of your existence, are made of enriched cornmeal, vegetable oil, and Flamin’ Hot seasoning.
While that might not sound that bad, the seasoning is where Cheetos go from “sort of OK” to “you might not want to eat that while you’re pregnant.” Heaps of sugar, salt, maltodextrin, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and an array of artificial flavors, additives, and colorants are what make hot Cheetos as addicting as they are.
Well, here’s the thing – a Cheeto or two aren’t going to cause damage to you or your baby. But, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be cautious when you’re craving something as unhealthy as this snack. Throw a glance at some of the other side effects of eating hot Cheetos while pregnant down below.
What are the side effects of eating hot Cheetos while pregnant?
Oh, you’re not the only one wondering if you can eat hot Cheetos while pregnant considering the fact that pregnancy cravings are a normal thing during those special months. Of course, we’ve done our research and managed to provide you with a few side effects to keep an eye on next time you want to surprise your GI tract with a hot Cheeto.
1. Morning sickness and nausea
Most pregnant women experience morning sickness during the first trimester and know how exhausting, time-consuming, and downright terrifying throwing up at the thought of food can be. Moreover, most pregnant women don’t experience pregnancy cravings during the first trimester because of that.
However, when that second trimester arrives, you might not want to eat hot Cheetos for breakfast to ensure you don’t continue the cycle of morning sickness. Cheetos are known to trigger your stomach acid which might cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. They might be delicious, but they’re not worth the bathroom trips…
2. Heartburn
We can’t forget that hot Cheetos might cause heartburn, too. When you’re eating foods that are packed with spices (a.k.a. flavor), you might experience symptoms of heartburn, nausea, bloating, and even bad breath.
Turns out that’s because your growing baby bump’s causing your acid reflux to act up throughout pregnancy. Therefore, spicy foods and snacks might not be the best way to go when you’re one of the women that suffer from it.
We might be talking your ears off, but we need to underline the fact that a few Chettos here and there aren’t going to make a difference – but, eating an entire bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos might.
3. Diarrhea
Digestive problems, such as diarrhea, are common among pregnant women. Depending on your hormones, medication, stress, and whether or not you’re eating Cheetos on a regular, you might experience diarrhea. But, Cheetos might not be the ones to blame.
Before you blame everything on your favorite bedtime activity, foods made with chili peppers can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and bloating. An active component of chili peppers, capsaicin, can cause irritation and inflammation of the GI tract, too.
At the end of the day, pregnant women who are sensitive to capsaicin might want to keep away from Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
4. Obesity
Cheetos are beaming with calories, fat, sodium, and sugar, all of which are guaranteed to cause you to gain weight.
When you’re pregnant, you expect to gain weight because you’re growing a baby. Whether you’re eating healthy foods, exercising, or supplementing, you know you’re going to gain the weight necessary to keep your baby happy and healthy.
However, gaining weight due to foods that are made of saturated fats, refined carbs, sodium, and sugar might cause damage to you and your little one. Cheetos are great from time to time, but they’re not something you want to add to your daily dinner rotation.
5. Allergy
Moreover, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos aren’t strangers to artificial additives, flavors, and colorants that can trigger allergic reactions. Actually, you can get allergies you’ve never even heard of when you’re pregnant.
We brushed over the fact that pregnancy weakens your immune system to ensure you don’t fight off the fetus. When your immune system stops fighting, your body starts reacting to things differently – and, sometimes, your body develops allergies and intolerances to things you’ve never been allergic to before.
Because of that, pregnant women are advised to avoid common food allergens such as milk, eggs, fish, nuts, and an array of artificial additives.
Can hot Cheetos cause a miscarriage?
More frequently than you might think, pregnant women wonder if they can eat Hot Cheetos because they’re scared that a spicy snack might cause them to experience a miscarriage.
Spicy snacks are known to cause a myriad of medical problems, from GI problems, obesity, and heartburn, to nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. However, they aren’t proven to cause anything as traumatic as a miscarriage or premature birth.
Schedule an appointment with your doctor to check whether there’s a different reason why you might need to keep away from hot Cheetos. Other than that, don’t be scared to appreciate a Cheeto or two when your pregnancy cravings start acting up.
Can hot Cheeto cravings predict the baby’s gender?
Among the many myths surrounding pregnancy cravings, one of them proved particularly enticing to pregnant women across the world. According to the myth, pregnant women can determine whether they’re carrying a girl or a boy based on the type of pregnancy cravings they’re experiencing.
When they’re craving sweets, chocolate, and candy, for example, they’re expecting a girl. When they’re craving salty snacks, potato chips, and pretzels, they’re expecting a boy. (Apparently!)
With that on your mind, you might begin to think you’re expecting a baby boy because you’re craving hot Cheetos left and right. However, we do need to underline that there’s no scientific evidence that pregnancy cravings have anything to do with the baby’s gender.
Can I eat hot Cheetos while breastfeeding?
We’ve come to terms with pregnancy cravings because they’re a normal, natural part of a woman’s pregnancy. But, what are we supposed to do when we experience craving after we’ve already given birth? What about when we’re breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding moms are urged to eat healthy foods to support breastmilk production and the growth and development of the newborn baby. Cheetos are safe to eat from time to time, but they shouldn’t become a part of your everyday diet.
Before you scoff down an entire bag of hot Cheetos, check whether they’re made with something you aren’t supposed to eat while breastfeeding and consult your doctor. Good luck!
