Foods rich in carbohydrates and poor in protein, those that have an amino acid called asparagine, are the most likely to generate acrylamide when subjected to high temperatures.
French fries, potato snacks, cookies, cereals, nuts, toast, bakery products, coffee and cocoa usually contain this compound that can affect the weight of the fetus.
One study has observed that a high intake of this type of food with high acrylamide content during pregnancy causes a lower weight of the baby at birth and a lower circumference of the head of newborns.
The research, led by the Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) of Barcelona and the University of Stockholm (Sweden), has been carried out with diet data of 1,100 pregnant women and their newborns in Denmark, England, Greece , Norway and Spain.
The difference between mothers exposed to high levels of acrylamide and those exposed to low levels can be up to 132 grams in the baby's weight and 0.33 centimeters in the size of her head. Regarding the countries, the highest levels of this substance were observed in babies born in England and the lowest in those in Denmark.
The study confirms a growing global concern about the potential health effects of acrylamide food exposure, since it certifies that this substance crosses the placenta and, therefore, there is a particular risk to the health of the fetus.
The adverse effects of acrylamide on the fetus could be comparable to those of smoking in terms of lower weight and neurological development. But while the effects of tobacco are more widely recognized, we are now just beginning to know this compound.
Fortunately, there are other reasons to avoid products such as those containing acrylamide, which is why one more reason to avoid unhealthy snacks during pregnancy, foods with trans fats, too much salt and additives ... Better healthy snacks, as an ideal option during pregnancy, childhood or at any age.
