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Doctors Say Don’t Eat These Foods During Pregnancy

It is said that, as an expecting mother you are eating for two. That means you should have a well-balanced diet to provide proper nutrition for you and the little one. And, a healthy diet helps you prevent any pregnancy complications.

When you are adding fresh and healthy foods to your pregnancy menu, you should even eliminate unhealthy and junk foods from it. Also, there are certain foods that are considered unhealthy for pregnancy. This urbabyblog gives you a list of 27 foods that you should avoid during pregnancy, their respective reasons, and their safe alternatives.

Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy:

Avoiding some foods ensures that you and your baby are safe and healthy. Below, we give a list of such must-not-have foods.

1. Fish containing mercury:

Fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish have high mercury levels and must be shunned. Mercury, an element found in oceans, streams, and lakes, converts into methylmercury in the human body. It is a neurotoxin and is linked to brain damage and developmental delays in babies. You could choose fish such as salmon, catfish, cod, and canned light tuna, which have low mercury levels. According to the US FDA, you can eat up to eight to 12 ounces of fish per week, which is two to three servings. Consumption of white tuna (albacore) should be limited to six ounces per week.

Solution: Choose fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids and low in mercury as the high protein, low saturated fats, and many essential nutrients contribute to the child’s heart and brain development, and aid in proper growth. You should, however, check with a doctor or a qualified dietitian to know about the fish you can eat.

2. Smoked seafood:

Do not take smoked and refrigerated seafood, which are labeled as lox, jerky, nova style, and kippered as they contain Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. This bacteria causes listeriosis (associated with symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting) that could lead to illness in newborns and even miscarriage or stillbirth. Moreover, processed seafood contains high levels of salt which can lead to increased blood pressure and swelling of the body parts.

Solution: You may have canned smoked seafood occasionally or when fresh fish is unavailable. However, avoid such food as much as you can.

3. Fish exposed to industrial pollutants:

Fish from local streams, lakes, and rivers contain harmful levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). On exposure to these contaminants, the babies may have low birth weight, smaller head size, learning disabilities, and memory problems. Avoid eating locally caught striped bass, pike, bluefish, salmon, trout, and walleye.

Solution: You can choose fresh water fishes.

Also, follow a few tips when picking fish from a local stream, lake, or river. Firstly, check the advisories related to that water body. You can get the information from the fishing regulations websites or at a local health department. This information would be regarding fish caught from local waters and not the ones available at local groceries. Avoid raw fish as it is more likely to contract food borne diseases.

4. Raw shellfish:

Avoid eating raw shellfish such as oysters, clams, and mussels to stay away from seafood-borne illnesses and food poisoning. They contain harmful bacteria, viruses, and toxins that will make you ill.

Solution: Instead you can eat cooked shellfish ensuring that you cook them with their shells open.

5. Raw or undercooked eggs:

You should not eat raw, undercooked, or soft-boiled eggs as they contain harmful salmonella bacteria which cause food poisoning. You may experience diarrhea, severe vomiting, headache, abdominal pain, and high temperature. All these symptoms are unlikely to harm your baby, but your immune system will become weaker, which may impact the baby’s development.

The foods that contain raw egg and must be avoided are: homemade Caesar dressings, custards, ice creams, mayonnaise and Hollandaise sauces, Béarnaise sauce, Aioli sauce, desserts including mousse, tiramisu, and meringue.

Solution: Buy pasteurized egg products. You can choose commercially manufactured ice cream, mousse, eggnog, and dressings. Eat cooked eggs that contain firm yolks or a well-cooked omelet, and salads.

6. Raw meat and poultry:

Having undercooked/raw meat and poultry, such as pink or raw meat that is bloody, as it contains Toxoplasma parasite and harmful bacteria Salmonella. Salmonella increases the risk of food poisoning. Toxoplasma causes toxoplasmosis that has flu-like symptoms developing a few weeks after consumption of the food. It can lead to miscarriage or fetal death during delivery.

Solution: You must have well-cooked and hot meat and poultry. Eat home-cooked varieties where the temperature should be around 160°F for ground meats, 145°F for whole cuts, and 165°F for chicken breasts.

7. Deli meats:

You should avoid deli meats, also called ready-to-eat meats, such as sandwich meat, cold cuts, lunch meat, hotdogs, and sliced meats. They are known to contain listeria bacteria, which can readily move from the mother to the placenta causing serious complications including fetal death.

Solution: Pasteurization and cooking at a high temperature kill listeria. Thus, you should eat deli meats only after reheating until they are steaming hot.

8. Unpasteurized milk:

It is unsafe to drink unpasteurized or raw milk during pregnancy. It has no nutritional advantage, and raw milk and its products account for a higher proportion of food-borne diseases. They contain harmful bacteria such as salmonella, listeria, E.coli, and cryptosporidium that can be dangerous to you and your baby.

Solution: Buy pasteurized milk and its products only. In pasteurization, the milk is subjected to a high temperature that kills the disease-causing microbes. If you are buying milk from a local vendor, boil the milk well as high-temperature boiling kills the microbes. You can also choose non-dairy milk such as soy milk, rice milk, almond milk, and oat milk as they are safer and contain similar nutrition.

9. Soft cheeses:

Do not eat soft cheeses such as Camembert, Roquefort, Gorgonzola, brie, feta, blue cheese, queso fresco, queso blanco, and panela unless they are pasteurized. Unpasteurized soft cheeses contain listeria (8).

Solution: Eat hard cheeses (Cheddar or Swiss cheeses) as they do not contain water, unlike soft cheeses. Therefore, these cheeses are less likely to harbor any bacteria. All non-imported soft cheeses that are pasteurized are safe to consume.

10. Unwashed fruits and vegetables:

Unwashed fruits and veggies carry Toxoplasma parasite that harms the developing baby. Toxoplasmosis contaminates the soil where fruits and vegetables are grown and you may ingest the harmful microbes if you eat them unwashed.

Solution: Rinse the fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water. Peel away or scrub the surfaces and cut off the bruised areas as they are prone to bacteria. Cook the vegetables, especially the leafy ones.

11. Raw sprouts:

Do not eat raw sprouts including clover, alfalfa, mung bean, radish, broccoli, sunflower, onion, soybean, and snowpea sprouts. They are highly prone to listeria, salmonella, and E.coli bacteria. As you know, listeriosis could lead to premature birth, miscarriage, stillbirth, and infections in newborns. Salmonella and E.coli can lead to severe illnesses.

Solution: Consume cooked sprouts.

12. Foods that cause allergy:

Soy, wheat, cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, more), fish, and shellfish should only be consumed if you are not allergic to them. However, a few studies say that taking these foods during early pregnancy may decrease the chances of the baby developing allergies and asthma later in life. But, you cannot be sure about this.

Solution: As not all studies support this claim, it is best to check with your doctor what is safe and what is not, especially when it comes to allergies.

13. Restaurant-made salads:

Say no to restaurant-made salads such as Caesar salad dressing, pre-made meats (ham, chicken salads), and seafood salads as they carry harmful microbes. Also, these salads contain mayonnaise, which has raw eggs and salad dressing that are high in calories (salt and sugar).

The raw eggs, vegetables, and leaves used in salads harbor salmonella and listeria bacteria, which could lead to food poisoning. Eating contaminated salad can cause flu-like symptoms in the mother and severe health complications in babies.

Solution: Make salads at home by following food safety basics. Make sure to clean and chop fruits and vegetables in clean surroundings, and cook meat, and eggs properly.

14. Unpasteurized juices:

Unpasteurized fruit and vegetable juices, including packaged ones, may carry harmful E.coli and salmonella bacteria. Not only that, but a glass of freshly made juice may also pose a risk if the fruits or vegetables are not washed well.

Solution: Choose pasteurized juices or make some at home. You must wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water and use a brush to scrape away the dirt, and cut off any bruised areas.

15. Excess caffeine:

Higher amounts of caffeine could increase your chances of miscarriage and low birth weight babies. You should limit your intake to 200mg a day. Caffeine is also found in tea, chocolate, and many energy drinks. Some research studies reveal that caffeine is associated with premature birth and withdrawal symptoms in infants.

Other drinks to avoid during pregnancy are soft drinks, diet soda, alcohol, and iced tea.

Solution: Opt for decaffeinated beverages, especially in your first trimester as the risk of miscarriage is high.

16. Herbal teas:

Herbs used for tea or seasonings could harm both the mother and fetus. Certain herbs such as ephedra, angelica, kava kava, yohimbe, black and blue cohosh, dong quai, borage oil, pennyroyal, and mugwort are uterine stimulants, which should be completely avoided during pregnancy.

Comfrey, black walnut, cascara sagrada, fenugreek, echinacea, goldenseal, horsetail, licorice root, saw palmetto, senna, motherwort, St.John’s wort, shepherd’s purse, wormwood, tansy, and uva ursi may lead to miscarriage.

Other herbs that are unsafe to use or ingest are aloe, ginseng, and evening primrose. You should also check with your health practitioner before taking too many of nettles, dandelion, or chamomile teas.

Solution: It is better to have a hot cup of regular chai or tea rather than herbal tea. Though there is not enough research on green tea, you may have it in moderation — a cup or two in a day.

17. Canned foods:

Canned foods, including fruits, vegetables, and sodas are harmful for two reasons:

The lining of the food cans contains Bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic substance that affects the fetal endocrine activity and causes fertility problems, cancer, liver ailments, and heart diseases in pregnant women and the tinned foods might be too old to eat and harbor harmful bacteria due to their long shelf life.

Canned pasta, soup, and infant formulas contain high BPA levels. Also, canned tuna and tuna salads contain high mercury levels that are poisonous for the mother and the fetus.

Solution: Opt for fresh vegetables and fruits or varieties where BPA is not used. Wash the canned fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consumption. Choose seasonal choices so that you get to eat fresh fruits.

18. Nitrate-rich foods:

Avoid cured sandwich meats, bacon, deli meats, sausages, salami, and hot dogs as they contain nitrates. Nitrate enhances the food’s color and improves shelf life. But on consumption, the nitrates turn to nitrosamines in the bodies, increasing the chances of cancer in mothers and abnormalities in the fetus. Nitrate-rich foods also contain sodium and saturated fats which may be bad during pregnancy.

Solution: Eat well-cooked and lean cuts of your favorite meals to be on a healthy and safer side.

19. Sugar-rich foods:

Cut down on sugar-rich foods such as desserts, candies, cakes, ice creams, biscuits, chocolates, and sweetened beverages. They worsen pregnancy discomforts (nausea, vomiting, constipation, heartburn), increase weight, contribute to gestational diabetes, increase the risk of preterm labor, preeclampsia, and increase the risk of metabolic syndrome in babies (20).

Solution: You may have such foods occasionally but in limited quantities. Choose healthier sugar food options such as pears, grapefruit, dates, and apricots as they make great alternatives to foods containing added sugars. They are sweeter and healthier choices.

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