Eating a well balanced diet is most important during your pregnancy. Essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins are needed for the healthy development of your baby. Most of the foods are safe, but there are some foods that you should avoid during the pregnancy.
Here are the foods that should be avoided during pregnancy:
Raw meat
Avoid eating uncooked seafood and undercooked poultry or beef because of the risk of contamination with salmonella, toxoplasmosis and coliform bacteria.
Smoked seafood
Avoid the smoked and refrigerated seafood often marked as jerky, nova style, lox or kippered. Canned seafood is usually okay to eat.
Deli meat
It is polluted with listeria, which can lead to miscarriage. Listeria can cross the placenta and cause infection or blood poisoning, which can be a life-threatening one.
If you consider eating deli meat, ensure that you re-boil the meat until it is steaming.
Fish containing meat
Avoid eating the fish that has high mercury levels. Mercury consumption during pregnancy leads to brain damage and developmental delays. Fishes that contain mercury include: tilefish, swordfish, shark and king mackerel.
Raw shellfish
Most of the illnesses related to seafood are due to raw shellfish, which include clams, oysters and mussels. This seafood causes a concern for anybody who eats.
Raw egg
Eating raw egg can cause a risk of exposure to salmonella. So, don’t eat Caesar dressings, custards, ice creams, Hollandaise sauces and mayonnaise as they are made with raw eggs.
Unpasteurized milk
This is a source for listeria bacteria, which can cause miscarriage. This bacterium can enter into the placenta and finally result in infection or blood poisoning. Ensure that you drink only pasteurized milk.
Soft cheeses
Listeria bacteria found in imported soft cheeses can cause miscarriage. The bacteria can enter into the placenta and cause infection or blood poisoning. It is better to eat soft cheeses that are made with pasteurized milk. Soft cheeses that should be avoided include: camembert, feta, brie, gorgonzola, Mexican and Roquefort style cheeses.
Unwashed vegetables
Unwashed vegetables can cause a dreadful disease such as toxoplasmosis. So, ensure that you eat washed and fresh vegetables.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol is not at all safe during pregnancy. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can greatly interfere with the healthy growth of your baby. Based on the quantity, timing and sample of use, consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome. Also, you should stop drinking alcohol at the time of breastfeeding.
Caffeine
Most of the studies said that moderate consumption of caffeine is OK during pregnancy, but some studies said that it can lead to miscarriage. First trimester has great chances for miscarriage, so strictly you need to avoid during this period.
Caffeine acts as diuretic, which means it eliminates water and calcium from your body. Consuming caffeine in greater amounts can lead to premature birth, miscarriage, withdrawal syndrome in infants, and low birth weight.
Pate
You need to avoid consumption of meat spreads or refrigerated pate as it contains listeria bacteria. Self safe meat spread or canned pate can be safe to eat.
