Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a complex time for the body, which sees many hormonal and other changes take place. Doctors give guidelines about what is safe, such as physical activity, exercise and other things, and one of those things is diet. Diet is a very important factor in the development of your baby, and your primary health giver will likely give you tips and advice about what to eat to give your little human the best possible in utero nutrition. But there are some definite no-nos when it comes to diet. Most things are safe to eat during pregnancy, but there are some definite foods to avoid, and some you might want to take care with, no matter how tempting they are. Let’s find out. 

Soft Cheese

There’s nothing better than a ripe, smelly Camembert with some crusty bread. But, sadly, if you’re pregnant you’ll have to forgo that. Soft cheeses with unpasteurised milk can contain listeria bacteria, very dangerous indeed for you and your baby. Enjoy a sprinkling of parmesan on your pasta by all means, and a slice of cheddar or two (just check the label to make sure it was made with pasteurised milk first), but that tasty brie, blue cheese, queso blanco, queso fresco, and panela is going to have to wait until the little one arrives, unfortunately. 

Undercooked Meat

We can (almost) all agree that the best way to have a steak is medium rare (or rare if you’re feeling like a real carnivore). Likewise with burgers — medium or medium rare are the most popular choices for burger fans. But raw or undercooked meat can harbor toxoplasma and other bacteria, terribly dangerous for you and baby. If you’re out for a meal then make sure your food is piping hot and thoroughly cooked, no matter how much it pains you to order steak well done. Use a meat thermometer when cooking at home to make sure your meat is thoroughly cooked. 

Fresh Juice

Now, this might seem counterintuitive, seeing as freshly squeezed juice has all kinds of health benefits. But pregnant ladies beware! Freshly squeezed juice needs to be pasteurised, and often isn’t when you buy it out and about. You risk salmonella poisoning or even E.Coli. Though that freshly squeezed orange juice at the farmers’ market may look tempting, stick to pasteurised bottled stuff you find on your supermarket shelves, and get your fix that way. 

Sushi and Sashimi

Now this should seem like a no-brainer. Although seafood and fish are great sources of vitamins and minerals, raw fish in sushi and sashimi dishes should be avoided like the plague. Raw seafood can be a harmful source of parasites and bacteria damaging for your little one. Doctors recommend that you eat fish in your diet, but only that that has been cooked absolutely thoroughly. Even sushi that doesn’t contain any fish such as cucumber rolls or other vegetable maki should be avoided as the chances are it has been prepared in close proximity to raw fish. 

Fish with Mercury

Now, we mentioned well cooked fish as part of a healthy diet for pregnant ladies. But not all fish are created equal — some are delicious but contain high levels of mercury, and this is a big no-no for you and baby. Fish you need to avoid include swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and shark, as these are all high mercury fish. Try to limit yourself to other varieties such as salmon or cod — make sure they’re well cooked — and don’t eat excessive quantities, as doctors recommend you can safely eat up to 12 ounces of seafood a week — although diet changes as the trimesters pass.

Alcohol

Now, this is a big one. Some ladies like to enjoy the odd small glass of wine during their pregnancy, and while this is usually ok, it’s best to check with your health care professional first. Heavy drinking, however, is out of the question and if you are a heavy drinker it’s probably wise to address this before you even think about getting pregnant. Alcohol can cause major problems for you and your baby, and really, you should abstain throughout the entire period. 

What we eat goes straight to the little one growing within us, so it’s important to watch out for the food we consume. It’s only nine months, then you can go back to all the things you love!