Which Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy
Eating well balanced food is necessary for good health. But for a pregnant woman, it is even more important. Those nine months are really challenging for you and your baby. Your baby needs all the essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins for developing. So you need to be extra careful about your diet, keeping it on top priority. Basically most foods are safe but to ensure smooth pregnancy, there are some foods you must avoid.
Undercooked poultry, beef and seafood should be avoided. They might contain bacteria (listeria) which causes the risk of food poisoning. Sea foods are also rich in mercury. So it is better to totally avoid them. Mercury consumed during pregnancy can cause brain damage. Some of these types of fish are swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel. Canned seafood is less harmful but smoked or frozen refrigerated seafood like sushi; oyster or salmon are equally harmful. They may contain listeria. If you are a strict non vegetarian then before eating, reheat the meat to the boiling or steaming point.
Always try to eat fresh water fish. Avoid eating fish from lakes and rivers that are contaminated with industrial pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls. Before buying fish from your grocery store, try to find out where they have come from.
Raw eggs or foods prepared from raw eggs should also be avoided due to possibility of exposure to salmonella. Avoid home made custard or ice cream, mayonnaise or dressings if raw egg have been used. Ice creams cakes sold in the market are mostly made with pasteurized eggs and do not pose the risk of salmonella. Cook egg until they are firm and eat.
Skip eating soft cheese. They can contain listeria (bacteria) which sometimes leads to miscarriage and blood poisoning. Cheese made of pasteurized milk is safe to eat.
Unpasteurized milk can, in the same way, contain listeria that can cause infection and blood poisoning to the baby. Always drink pasteurized milk during pregnancy.
It is better to skip aerated beverages and caffeine based beverages like colas, tea and coffee. In moderation they are ok, but it is better to avoid them especially during initial days of pregnancy because they pose the risk of miscarriage and under weight baby.
Consuming alcohol during pregnancy is totally unsafe. It can interfere with the healthy development of the baby.
