Salt: Is It Safe During Pregnancy?

The short answer is: yes. Salt is safe to eat during pregnancy ... in moderation. In the past, doctors thought that salty foods contributed to water retention, bloating and even preeclampsia. Cutting back on salt sure didn't help satisfy those pickle cravings!

But now, most doctors agree that a moderate amount of sodium can actually help to ensure regulate adequate fluid levels. So go ahead and eat lightly salty foods (pretzels! popcorn!) and salt to taste at the dinner table. Cutting back on salt could actually be detrimental to you and your baby! Those cravings for pickles could actually be your body telling you to have more sodium.

In short, there's no reason to stop eating salt just because you're pregnant. After all, you've already had to ask "is it safe" a zillion times and cut back on alcohol, caffeine, and certain types of fish. So go ahead and indulge in some salty foods—unless of course, your doctor tells you to cut back for health reasons. Generally, the only women who should avoid salt during pregnancy are ones who have medical conditions such as hypertension or congestive heart failure.

Of course, too much salt isn't good for anyone—pregnant or not. Everything in moderation, right? So let the salt rain, but don't let it pour!