The most important day that a woman eagerly looks forward to is motherhood. It is not just her body that changes but her attitude, priorities, lifestyle habits, everything.
So to move towards a healthier pregnancy and delivery, an expecting mom needs the right amount of food, and healthiest too.
Yes, there are bound to be cravings for favourite foods during pregnancy, but there are foods to avoid during pregnancy too. Enjoy eating anything that you desire, but not at the cost of your health and your bundle of joy.
Come, let’s track down what not to eat when pregnant, pregnancy foods to avoid, fruits to avoid during pregnancy, things to avoid while pregnant, early pregnancy foods to avoid and more. Because it is important for you to make wise food choices in order to protect and nourish you and your baby.
Seafood And Fish
No, am not asking you to ditch your fish cravings. Just stay away from some types of fish during your maternity days in order to avoid the possibilities of fetal damage and other complications.
- Smoked Seafood: Avoid consuming refrigerated and smoked seafood as they are contaminated with Listeria bacteria.
- Raw Shellfish: Undercooked shellfish like oysters, clams and mussels can lead to sea- borne illnesses. When you cook them, infections can be avoided but not algae-related infections.
Then there are fish exposed to pollutants that have been cultured in contaminated rivers and lakes and fish having high levels of mercury.
The easiest solution out when it comes to things not to eat when pregnant is to consume fresh water fish.
Raw Or Undercooked Eggs
For all egg lovers, it is hard to resist cooked eggs. But when it comes to foods to avoid during pregnancy, then raw eggs or undercooked eggs are a big no-no.
Even homemade desserts and sauces like cakes, mayonnaise, and chocolate mousse having raw eggs should be avoided as they could be tainted with salmonella bacteria which could cause diarrhea and vomiting.
And so eat eggs which have been cooked till the time the egg yolks firm up. A well-done omelet is a good choice. Go for salad dressings that are either egg-less or have used pasteurized egg. These kill the risk and you can enjoy being eggetarian!
Undercooked Meat And Poultry
Meat is so very vital for non-vegetarians. But pregnant women who love meat in their meals need to follow some restrictions during pregnancy. Raw or uncooked meat has chances of having listeria bacteria. And refrigerated meat for instance goat, lamb, beef and poultry such as chicken, ham, turkey, duck, geese must be heated up to 73 degree Celsius.
[ Also Read: Chicken Food Poisoning]
Whenever you are consuming meat or meat products, see to it that it is neither uncooked nor under-cooked. It makes sense to wash meat and poultry items well before using or consuming them because that helps to remove the bacteria in it.
Unwashed Fruits And Vegetables
It might sound weird but around 78% people eat or cook fruits and vegetables without washing them in the first place. When you talk about early pregnancy foods to avoid, then I would say unwashed fruits and veggies come first in the list. Because they are likely to contain harmful pesticides which would not only be harmful to the expecting mother but for the fetus as well.
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In fact, avoid raw sprouts or any unwashed vegetables especially lettuce and cabbage when it comes to pregnancy foods to avoid.
Allergy-Causing Nuts
In our pastime or in our work hours, most of us love to nibble nuts. But, there are some nuts like peanuts, cashews, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, and walnuts that can cause allergies or skin rashes. So nuts also join the list of what not to eat when pregnant.
The best thing is to take opinion from your consulting doctor on what kind of nuts you can include in your pregnancy diet.
Unpasteurised Juices
Having juices is the first and foremost thing that comes to a pregnant woman’s mind. But fresh juice might put you at risk of contracting the harmful E.coli and salmonella bacteria.
Choose packaged juices since they are pasteurised and are kept under refrigeration.
Excessive Caffeine-Related Products
Too much of caffeine is bad for your health, and more so during pregnancy as it acts as a diuretic and generally linked to low birth weight. Moreover, expecting mommies drinking more caffeine during pregnancy are at higher risk of stillbirths, fetal deaths or spontaneous abortions.
It is best to stick to having caffeine to a maximum 2 cups of coffee a day.
Hope you liked reading the foods to avoid during pregnancy. There are much more things to avoid while pregnant such as herbal teas and supplements, sugar-rich foods, artificial sweeteners, street foods and canned foods. Keep these in mind while taking anything in solid or liquid form.
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