Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy

Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy

More foods can affect your health or your baby’s than you might realize. Here I am going to discuss what foods to avoid in pregnancy.

We all want what’s best for our babies. That’s why we add sliced fruit to our breakfast cereals, top our salads with chick peas and snack on almonds.

But do you know what foods to avoid in pregnancy?

If you understand what foods to avoid during pregnancy you can help make the healthiest choices for you and your baby.

 Avoid seafood high in mercury

Sea food can be a great source of protein and the omega 3 fatty acids in many fish can promote your baby’s brain and eye development.

However some fish and shellfish contain potentially dangerous levels of mercury. Too much mercury could harm your baby’s developing nervous system.

The bigger and older the fish the more mercury it is likely to contain. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) encourages pregnant women to avoid:

Swordfish

Shark

King Mackerel

Tilefish

So what is safe? Some types of seafood contain little mercury. According to the Dietary Guidelines for America 2010 they recommend 8 – 12 ounces – 2 average meals of seafood per week for pregnant women. For example:

Shrimp

Salmon

Pollock

Trout

However, limit tuna steaks to no more than 6 ounces a week. While canned tuna on average appears safe, some testing has shown that mercury levels can vary from can to can.

 

Avoid raw and undercooked seafood

To avoid harmful bacteria or viruses in fish:

Avoid raw fish and shellfish such as sushi, and raw oysters, scallops or clams.

Avoid refrigerated fish and shellfish for example seafood labelled nova style, kippered, smoked or jerky. It is ok to eat smoked fish if it is in a casserole or other cooked fish. Canned versions are also safe.

Understand local fish advisors. If you eat fish from local waters, pay attention to local fish advisories especially if water pollution is a concern.

Cook seafood properly. Fish is done when it separates into flakes and appears opaque throughout. Cook shrimp, lobster and scallops until they are milky white. Cook clams, mussels and oysters until their shells open. Discard any that don’t open.

 

Avoid undercooked meat, poultry and eggs

During pregnancy you are at an increased risk of bacterial food poisoning. Your reaction might be more severe than if you were not pregnant. Rarely food poisoning affects the baby too.

To prevent foodborne illness:

Fully cook all meats and poultry before eating. Use a meat thermostat to make sure.

Cook hot dogs or luncheon meats until they are steaming hot or avoid them completely. They can be a source of rare but serious foodborne illness known as listeriosis.

Avoid refrigerated pates and meat spreads.

 

 

 

Cook eggs until the egg yolks and white are firm. Raw eggs can  be contaminated with harmful bacteria. Avoid foods made with  raw or partially cooked eggs such as raw batter, freshly made  or homemade mayonnaise and Caesar salad dressing.

 

Avoid unpasteurised foods

Many low fat dairy products such as skim milk, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese can be a healthy part of your diet. Anything containing unpasteurised milk however is not to be consumed during pregnancy. These products could lead to food borne illness. Avoid soft cheeses such as Brie, feta and blue cheese unless they are clearly labelled as being pasteurised or made with pasteurised milk.

Avoid any unpasteurised juices.

Avoid unwashed fruits and vegetables

To eliminate any harmful bacteria, thoroughly wash all fruits and vegetables. Avoid raw sprouts of any kind, including alfalfa, clover, radish and mung beans which also might contain disease causing bacteria. Make sure you cook sprouts thoroughly.

Avoid excess caffeine

Caffeine can cross the placenta and affect your baby’s heart rate. While further studies are required some studies suggest that drinking too much caffeine during pregnancy might be associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. You could speak to your midwife or doctor about limiting the amount of caffeine in your diet.

Avoid herbal tea

There is little information available on the effects of specific herbs on developing babies. As a result avoid drinking herbal tea unless you midwife or doctor says it is ok.

Avoid alcohol

One drink is unlikely to harm your baby but no level of alcohol has been proved safe during pregnancy. The safest plan is to avoid alcohol entirely.

Mothers who drink alcohol have a higher risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. Too much alcohol during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol syndrome, which can cause facial deformities, heart defects and mental retardation. Even moderate drinking can impact your baby’s brain development.

If you are concerned about alcohol speak to your midwife or doctor.