We all know the importance of eating balanced meal but it gets even more important when you enter the phase of pregnancy. Your developing baby needs minerals, vitamins and other essential nutrients. It is during pregnancy that not only your body changes but also your attitude, your priorities and the way you feel about yourself changes. If you are on the look-out for happy pregnancy, you need to be vigilant about your food habits. Food cravings are a normal part of pregnancy and its okay to eat what you feel like eating. However, there are some foods you need to avoid during pregnancy.
Here are some of the foods that you need to stay away from during pregnancy:
- Caffeine
Like they say excess of anything is bad and so is the case with caffeine. It is not only bad for you during pregnancy but also in general. There are studies that say caffeine is allowed if taken in moderation but others show connection between caffeine intake and miscarriages. It is always better to avoid caffeine during the first trimester. Caffeine is diuretic (eliminates fluid from the body) and is associated with low birth weight, premature birth and even with withdrawal symptoms in babies.
It is only best to keep yourself away from caffeine and maintain an intake of milk, juice and lots of water. Caffeine is not just present in tea, coffee and chocolate but is also included in energy drinks plus flu medicines. Even after knowing all this, you desire caffeine. Then keep it limited to 200 ml a day which means two cups of coffee.
- Undercooked Meat and Poultry
So you are a non-veg and meat is important for you. Pregnant women who love eating meat need to draw some line when they are expecting a baby. You need to avoid uncooked, raw or undercooked meat as it contains listeria bacteria. You have to heat refrigerated beef, lamb or mutton to 73 degree Celsius. That is what you have to do with poultry like geese, duck, chicken and turkey. Toxoplasma gondii parasite in raw meat and poultry can cause food poisoning in pregnant women which can then result in fetal damage, miscarriage and vomiting.
If you want to have meat, cook it properly. Before you cook it, wash the meat thoroughly to get rid of any bacteria. It is always better to eat poultry or meat at home rather than at some restaurant.
- Unwashed fruits and vegetables
This might seem like a strange one but did you know 78% of the people cook or eat fruits and vegetables without washing it? It might be okay in normal days but during pregnancy you are actually taking in harmful pesticides plus remember that the skin of fruits and vegetables consist of listeria and toxoplasma gondii parasite. Both pose risk to fetus. Make sure you avoid raw sprouts along with any unwashed vegetables particularly cabbage and lettuce.
What should you do? You should maintain hygiene and cleanliness at all times. Wash the vegetables and fruits properly. It is better to peel them and keep them in clean containers. It is best to keep away from long refrigerated veggies and fruits and make sure you cook the vegetables properly.
- Herbal Teas and Supplements
Pregnancy is a time when we are bombarded with advices from everywhere and you must have probably heard people saying that herbal teas, herbal tonics and even herbal supplements are good for you. But did you know many herbs can cause more harm than good during pregnancy? You might buy fake herbs without realizing. There is no way you can check its authenticity. Stay away from herbs like Saw Palmetto, Wormwood and Senna because they are not tested.
You can have a regular cup of tea instead of herbal tea. If you are stressing over the fact that you are not healthy enough, then ask your doctor to recommend a multivitamin according to your need.
- Fish containing mercury
No, you don’t have to suppress all your fish cravings but you need to stop taking fishes that contain high levels of mercury. Mercury results in developmental delays and brain damage of your child during pregnancy. Some of these fishes are tilefish, king mackerel, swordfish and shark. The canned chunk light tuna contains lesser amount of mercury compared to other tune but it advisable to take it in moderation. If you are a sushi fan, then know that certain kinds of fish used in sushi also contain high amounts of mercury.
Alcohol
If you are someone used to taking alcohol, then know that no amount of alcohol can be considered safe at the time of pregnancy. If you still take it, healthy development of your baby will be at stake. Your baby is at the risk of developmental disorders like fetal alcohol syndrome. As soon as you get to know that you are pregnant, quit drinking. You shouldn’t even take alcohol while you breastfeed your child as it exposes your infant to harmful risk because alcohol finds its way to the baby through breastfeeding.
- Raw Eggs
Say no to raw eggs, undercooked eggs and runny eggs. Make sure you stay away from raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs. Why? You can become a victim of salmonella. Remember that some homemade ice creams, custards, chocolate mousse, cakes or mayonnaise often contain raw eggs. The ones that are made commercially contain pasteurized eggs which minimize the risk of salmonella. Make sure you take eggs that are cooked to a point where the yolk becomes firm. Omelets are best in that case.
- Fish exposed to pollutants
Do not get your hands on fishes that come from contaminated rivers and lakes as they come in contact with high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls. Some of these fishes are pike, trout, salmon, walleye, striped bass and bluefish. In order to know which fish is safe to eat, you can talk to the local health department of your area. This applies to the fish caught in local waters.
