Excessive amounts of vitamin A, found in large quantities in sweet potatoes, can cause miscarriage, birth defects and other serious problems during pregnancy.
In case sushi, undercooked eggs, and unpasteurized dairy weren't enough to worry about, sweet potatoes are yet another food that might be off-limits to expectant mothers. While moderate amounts of these super-healthy tubers may still be safe, pregnant women should probably avoid eating more than one sweet potato per week, to prevent complications for their unborn babies.
Nutritionists and obstetricians have warned for years that excessive intake of vitamin A during pregnancy may be linked to birth defects and malformations. Since vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient, excessive amounts of it are not readily flushed out by the kidneys, and instead collect in the fat cells of the mother and baby.
Because sweet potatoes contain such a high concentration of vitamin A-- a single sweet potato packs seven times the recommended daily allowance-- they are generally considered to be a perfect health food. The sweet potato's very high content of antioxidants, fiber, and B vitamins also make it a winner among vegetables. However, pregnant women may want to think twice before indulging that nagging craving for sweet potato casserole.
The World Health Organization warns that pregnant women do not benefit from taking in more than three times the RDA of vitamin A, or roughly 8,000 IU. Furthermore, studies cited by WHO indicate that habitual consumption of 10,000 IU or more of vitamin A can become acutely toxic to a fetus, causing birth defects, miscarriage, stillbirth, and congenital liver failure. A single, large sweet potato contains nearly four times this amount.
When combined with the amount of vitamin A already found in a pregnant woman's prenatal vitamins and other foods, a diet high in sweet potatoes can easily cap WHO's recommendations, leading to unwanted, negative effects for the unborn baby. Although it is generally considered to be a very healthy food, the wholesome sweet potato should only be eaten in careful moderation during all stages of pregnancy.
As little as two small sweet potatoes per week can cause a woman to exceed the WHO guidelines for healthy vitamin intake-- and this does not include the amount that she she would get from other foods or her prenatal vitamins. For this reason, it is probably best to limit dietary intake of sweet potatoes to one small tuber per week. This accounts for other dietary sources without going beyond the 8,000 IU maximum set by the World Health Organization.
Pregnant women have enough to worry about when it comes to their diets, but remaining aware of the dangerous of fat-soluble vitamins might be a critical step in guaranteeing the health of an unborn baby. Limiting the intake of foods very high in vitamin A, including sweet potatoes, might protect against birth defects, miscarriage, and complications for a newborn.
The copyright of the article Sweet Potatoes May Be Harmful during Pregnancy in Prenatal Health is owned by Juniper Russo. Permission to republish Sweet Potatoes May Be Harmful during Pregnancy in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
You have conflicting advise on you website. Under "Top Food To Eat
During Pregnancy", you list Sweet Potatoes. Then in this news
article, it is advised that pregnant women avoid Sweet Potatoes. (???)
Mar 10, 2009 8:17 PM
Juniper Russo :
You have misunderstood. In the article you reference, I recommend wild
yams, not sweet potatoes. Here is a quote from the other article:
"While yams are considered to be extremely healthy for pregnant
women, especially during the first trimester, sweet potatoes should be
avoided except in careful moderation throughout pregnancy. Contrary to
popular misunderstanding, yams and sweet potatoes are different vegetables
with very different nutritional profiles. Sweet potatoes not only lack the
fertility-enhancing effects of yams, but they may also be linked to birth
defects, miscarriage, and other complications."
Mar 25, 2009 8:52 PM
Guest :
I think it's OK to have the Carotene form of vitamin A (found in Sweet
Potatoes). As I understand, it's too much of the Retinol form of vitamin A
(found in animal products) that's toxic for pregnant women. http://www.babycenter.com/0_vitamin-a-why-you-shouldnt-get-too-much_675.b
c?page=2
Apr 17, 2009 6:30 AM
Guest :
I am confused... I thought sweet potatoes and carrots contained beta
carotene, which the body then turns into vitamin A only if it needs it. I
have read elsewhere that if the body doesn't need any more vitamin A, then
the beta carotene passes in the urine unconverted, so there is no danger of
too much vitamin A if you're just eating beta carotene. My prenatal
vitamin has 5,000 IU of beta carotene, and I occassionally have a sweet
potato or carrots. Now I'm really concerned. Please help me understand.
Thanks.
Apr 17, 2009 10:07 PM
Juniper Russo :
You are correct that beta carotene, the precursor to vitamin A, is found in
sweet potatoes and carrots. The body will not generally convert unnecessary
beta carotene into vitamin A. This makes it much safer than large doses of
vitamin A for inclusion in prenatal vitamin complexes. However, in addition
to beta carotene, sweet potatoes also contain massive amounts of
fat-soluble, bioavailable vitamin A, which can cause problems for an unborn
baby. Even still, this doesn't mean you need to avoid sweet potatoes
entirely-- I'm simply warning against excessive intake. As long as you're
not eating sweet potatoes more than once a week or so, or otherwise
exceeding the relatively large dose of 10,000 IUs of vitamin A per day, you
and your baby should be fine. Sweet potatoes are very healthy, even during
pregnancy, but moderation is important. As always, check with your
doctor if you have any concerns about your prenatal diet.
