Pregnancy is perceived as a happy and life changing experience. If you become pregnant, you want to make sure that everything runs smoothly. You want your pregnancy to remain healthy and safe up to the time of your delivery. Pregnant women are encouraged to eat healthy and nutritious foods so that the baby remains healthy. However, this does not mean that you are allowed to eat anything you want. The truth is that there are certain foods you should avoid eating as this will jeopardize your health as well as the health of your baby.
As you know, if you are pregnant you want to eat anything just to satisfy your food craving. You should be aware that if you are pregnant you are very delicate, especially when it comes to the food you eat. Some foods are restricted for pregnant woman as these can contains chemicals that can significantly affect the growth and development of the baby. Some of the common foods to be avoided by pregnant women are thoroughly discussed below.
Eggs and Dairy
If you are pregnant, you are highly discouraged to take unpasteurized dairy products. Unpasteurized product is a perfect place for harmful bacteria, which can actually jeopardize your health as well as the health of your baby. If you want to eat dairy product, the best thing to do is to thoroughly read the label of the product to make sure that it is pasteurized. Furthermore, you should also avoid eating raw egg or even undercooked egg as this may contain bacteria, which can be very harmful to your health. You should as well avoid eating foods that contain raw egg such as ice cream, mayonnaise, and mousse.
Deli Meats & Salads
If you are pregnant, then you should avoid eating deli meats as these can be contaminated with salmonella and listeria. If you really want to eat deli meat, you can do so but you have to make sure that the food is cooked thoroughly to get rid of the bacteria. You should as well be cautious in eating barbecues. The general rule is that you shouldn’t eat cured meats to avoid any forms of bacteria. Examples of cured meats
are salami and ham. Salads are also discouraged to eat by pregnant women as it may contain listeria bacteria. This type of bacteria can be very harmful to your baby.
Fish & Seafood
Fish is a rich source of protein, but if you are pregnant there are certain fish you should avoid such as oily fish. This type of fish contains environmental pollutants, which can harm not only your health but as well as the health of your baby. You should also limit the intake of shellfish, rock salmon, halibut, bream, sea bass and crabs. If these are some of the foods you crave, then don’t worry because you can still
eat them as long as you limit the serving. On the other hand, you should totally eliminate marlin, shark, and swordfish on your diet as these foods contain high level of mercury. To avoid food poisoning, you shouldn’t eat raw shellfish.
Dressings & Condiments
There are certain dressings and condiments you should avoid eating such as mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard. These condiments contain high level of fats and so you should avoid or limit its intake. Furthermore, you should limit the use of salt as it can lead to water retention and weight gain.
Spreads & Dips
Most spreads and dips contain hummus. This substance can cause food borne illness and is unsafe to eat if you are pregnant. Listeriosis can cause serious illness to pregnant women, older adults, and newborns. It weakens your immune system thereby making you susceptible to various forms of diseases.
Honey is safe for pregnant women as long as it is pasteurized. If you are pregnant and you eat unpasteurized honey, you will be prone to botulism of food poisoning secondary to Clostridium botulinum. Unpasteurized honey contains disease carrying organisms, which can jeopardize your health and your baby too. If you are going to buy honey in the supermarket, you should carefully read the ingredient label to ensure that the honey is pasteurized.
Drinks
There are beverages you should limit or totally avoid if you are pregnant. If you are fond of drinking coffee, then you should tone down the intake of caffeinated beverages. You should not exceed to 200 mg of caffeine a day. Studies revealed that too much caffeine can lead to low birth weight and miscarriage. If you are fond of socializing and drinking alcoholic beverages, then you should totally cut it off if you are pregnant. Pregnant women are strongly advised to eliminate alcohol in the diet. If you drink alcoholic beverages, you are actually jeopardizing the health of your baby. Congenial anomalies are associated with alcohol intake during pregnancy.