Beer during pregnancy - the benefits and harm

During pregnancy, not only the sense of smell, but also the taste preferences of the future mother. Often there may be an overwhelming and inexplicable desire to drink an alcoholic beverage, such as beer.

Opinion of doctors about the use of alcohol pregnant women categorically - no, and again not. It is not recommended to drink even non-alcoholic beer, the composition of which is really scary.

However, whether some concessions are possible for the future mother? And will there be any benefit from a small glass of frothy drink?

The chemical composition of beer

Fermentation drink has an interesting composition:

• ethyl alcohol, which is formed during fermentation - 3-12%;
• water - up to 93% of the drink;
• malt;
• yeast;
• sugars (represented by polysaccharides, sweeteners);
• carbohydrates (including pectin and dextrins);
• nitrogen-containing components (amino acids and polypeptides);
• organic acids (gluconic, citric, malic, oxalic, acetic, and others);
• vitamins of group B, PP, C and others in a small amount;
• minerals (potassium, magnesium, cobalt, iron, zinc, phosphorus, copper and others);
• phenols and polyphenols;
• hop extract;
• carbon dioxide;
• phytoestrogens (hormones of plant origin);
• flavor enhancers;
• colorants;
• foam stabilizers;
• flavors;
• thickeners;
• fermentation by-products (esters, methanol, fusel oils, cadaverine, aldehydes).

As you can see, one half of the composition is useful for any person, and the other, on the contrary, causes serious harm to internal systems. To reduce the negative impact is possible by choosing a live beer, which normally is stored for several days. It will not contain flavor enhancers, colorants, thickeners, and some other harmful substances.

Unfortunately, nowadays most of the factories produce powdered beer from synthetic ingredients, so it practically does not bring benefits to the body, but the side effects and harm grows many times.

The calorie content of the foamy drink is about 37 kcal per 100 ml.

The benefits of beer during pregnancy

Considering an alcoholic drink in the category of healthy eating is not entirely logical, however, doctors and dietetics have identified several useful points from drinking beer.

1. The high content of potassium and low dosage of sodium makes the drink literally curative in hypertension and hypertensive states (including preeclampsia and eclampsia).
2. A glass of natural live beer contains as many beneficial elements and vitamins as a glass of citrus fresh.
3. Foamy drink is abundant in vitamins of group B, including folic and nicotinic acid, thiamine, riboflavin and others. It is known that a half-liter bottle provides 30% of the body’s daily need for these vitamins, especially since they are in an easily digestible form.
4. Beer contains vitamin C - 35% of the daily requirement. Ascorbic acid supports immunity and increases resistance to colds and viral diseases.
5. Organic acids stimulate the production of urine, thereby preventing the formation of calculi in the kidneys and bladder. The diuretic effect helps to cleanse the body of poisons and slags, radionuclides, salts, free radicals, cholesterol. It also removes excess fluid, thereby reducing tissue swelling.
6. Phenols and polyphenols have a beneficial effect on the hemostasis of a pregnant woman (blood coagulation system). They prevent increased thrombosis and the development of diseases such as varicose veins, thrombophlebitis, thromboembolism, thrombosis, stroke and heart attack. Also, phenolic compounds regulate lipid metabolism.
7. Carbon dioxide has a positive effect on the production of gastric juice, stimulates digestion. It also normalizes blood flow to the tissues, muscles, internal organs.
8. Hop extract soothes the nervous system, relieves irritability and anxiety, reduces signs of apathy and depression. A glass of live beer at night will relax all muscles, eliminate cramps and headaches, ensure rapid sleep and deep sleep.
9. The concentration of vitamins and minerals has a positive effect on the skin, hair and nails. It is believed that drinking beer reduces the likelihood of stretch marks.
10. Iron in a frothy drink provides for the production of red blood cells and hemoglobin, positively influencing oxygen metabolism in cells and tissues. Also, drinking beer produces anemia prevention.

Side Effects of Drinking Beer

Unfortunately, most of the useful components in the composition lose their properties after heat treatment and preservation. And bottled beer with a shelf life of 3 months is extremely harmful to the health of the future mother and child.

Doctors have proven that the use of foam at 1 and 2 trimester leads to deformities and malformations of the fetus (craniofacial defects, anomalies of the musculoskeletal system, heart and vascular defects, dementia, cerebral palsy, etc.).

1. Beer contains alcohol, which is toxic to the whole body and in particular to brain neurons. Alcohol is able to penetrate the placenta!
2. Increases the risk of intrauterine growth retardation, missed abortion, placental abruption, miscarriage, premature birth, etc.
3. Interferes with normal gas exchange, resulting in fetal hypoxia (oxygen starvation) and placental insufficiency.
4. Frequent consumption of beer leads to the fact that in the third trimester, mother and child can earn withdrawal syndrome. In a pregnant woman, this is manifested by tremor, a physical need for alcohol (including strong), an earthy complexion, etc.Fetal alcohol syndrome is practically not curable and leads to the birth of premature and disproportionate babies with defects.
5. A strong diuretic effect leads to the fact that nutrients are flushed out of the body, especially proteins - “building material” for the child’s internal systems.
6. All products of fermentation disrupt the work of the kidneys, liver and other internal organs. Kadaverin is an analogue of cadaveric poison, and therefore extremely toxic.
7. For a dense and stable beer foam using a stabilizer - cobalt. A significant amount of this mineral leads to compaction of the walls of blood vessels, including the heart. Abuse of foam leads to the syndrome of “nylon stocking”, as a result of which the heart weakly distills blood and fails to cope with the additional gestational circle of blood circulation.
8. Extracts, flavor enhancers, sweeteners and colorants are the strongest allergens. Drinking moms often babies suffer from atopic dermatitis and severe food allergies.
9. Hop cones contain phytoestrogens - analogues of female sex hormones. Their excess violates the hormones,which can lead to pregnancy pathologies and even cause the threat of termination.

Of course, all these serious consequences are possible only in the case of systematic abuse. A rare glass of beer is harmless and will help to meet the future mother's need for a frothy drink. But you need to choose only freshly brewed beer, avoiding canned and bottled options.

Video: is it possible to drink alcohol during pregnancy