Pregnancy would probably be the most fragile state a woman could ever be in. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat”, and it goes far beyond yourself. When you’re expecting, whatever you drink or eat will influence your child’s health. Here are the types of food you should avoid during your pregnancy.
Processed Meats
According to WebMD, foods like frankfurters,luncheon meats and salami are prone to listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes listerosis, an infection can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or other serious health problems to both the baby and the mother.
If you do intend to consume luncheon, remember to reheat by cooking it in high heat to remove any hamrful bacteria.
Unpasteurized Dairy Foods
Pregnant women should avoid unpasteurized dairy food as they are also prone to listeria. Avoid cheese such as Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, and feta.
Raw and Undercooked Meat or Animal Products
If you enjoy enjoy a medium-rare steak or fresh oysters at a buffet, you may need to chuck them out of your diet during those 9 months. Remember to eat food that is well-cooked, and especially eggs too! This also includes cookie dough.
If you like sushi, be cautious where you buy them as most sushi restaurants would have the raw fish frozen to kill tapeworm parasites before serving. Opt for smoked salmon and other smoked seafoods as smoking the meat kills parasites. However, consume sushi in moderation.
Seafood High In Mercury
If you consume a lot of canned tuna, enjoy them moderately as it contains mercury, which can harm the development of your baby’s nervous system. Avoid raw shellfish during pregnancy as it may be contaminated with harmful bacteria too. Pregnant women are also discouraged from consuming swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish as these fishes are more likely to contain the most amount of mercury.
Most fish are safe to consume during pregnancy, especially oily fish that are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. Some of the safe fishes include salmon, trout, fresh tuna, anchovies and sardines.
Caffeinated Beverages and Alcohol
Pregnant women should avoid caffein from coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy beverages as it can increase the risk of miscarriage, reduced birth weight, and stillbirth. However, if you do like your coffee, opt for black teas with milk.
Consuming any form of alcohol during pregnancy is highly frowned upon as alcohol exposure can affect intellectual abilities and normal fetal development.
