"Being pregnant was the healthiest I’ve ever been in my life. Except for the cupcakes.”
— Ashlee Simpson
The initial stage of pregnancy is very treacherous. Doctors recommend women to be very careful in starting few months. There are some food that you should avoid eating during pregnancy because that will harm the mother and baby. We have to make sure to take necessary precautions and a good meal to avoid consequences. The best food during this time is healthy nutritional home-baked and fresh food. So, here is the list of the food products that every woman should avoid during their pregnancy period.
⦁ HIGH MERCURY FISH
High Mercury Fish leads to exposure to severe health problems. Mercury is a highly toxic element. You can be unveiling by eating these water animals because these animals affect the immune and nervous systems. This may also cause serious developmental problems in children. Women should avoid mercury fish during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding.
⦁ High Mercury Fish That You Should Avoid:
*Shark
*Swordfish
*King Mackerel
*Tuna (especially bigeye tuna)
*Marlin
*Tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico
*Orange Roughly
According to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Eating Low Mercury Fish is healthy at least three times a week.
2.) CAFFEINE
Who doesn’t even love coffee? In One billion people mostly, population loves the coffee and they have a habit of drinking coffee after a long hectic day. According the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (ACOG) advised women to take less intake of coffee i.e. 200 milligrams(mg) per day. A high intake of caffeine would lead to a high risk of low birth weight at delivery and fetal growth. Caffeine is absorbed very quickly and passes into the placenta. Because babies don’t have the main enzyme that needs to metabolize caffeine and high levels can build up. So, during this time women should take care of these things and keep the intake of soda, caffeine less for the welfare of the baby's health.
3.) ALCOHOL
Intake of Alcohol during pregnancy is advised to every woman to avoid by the doctor. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome which leads to the dysfunctions on child's face, heart failure, or miscarriage. Not only this but intake of alcohol can directly affect the baby’s brain development.
4.) RAW EGGS
Raw Eggs are contaminated with Salmonella Bacteria. The symptoms of Salmonella Bacteria include fever, nausea, cold, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea. However, in some rare cases, the infection can spread through the uterus and leads to the birth of a premature baby.
Foods that contain the raw material include:
⦁ Lightly scrambled eggs
⦁ Poached eggs
⦁ Hollandaise sauce
⦁ Homemade mayonnaise
⦁ Some homemade salad dressings
⦁ Homemade ice cream
⦁ Homemade cake icings
Tip - To keep yourself on the safe side you must cook eggs thoroughly or use pasteurized eggs.
5.) UNWASHED FOOD
Food brought from the market should be cleansed off properly because it contains bacteria and parasites. These include Toxoplasma, E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, which can be acquired from the soil or through handling. Contamination can occur at any time during production, harvest, processing, storage, transportation, or retail. One dangerous parasite that may linger on fruits and vegetables is called Toxoplasma. Most infants who are infected with the Toxoplasma bacteria while still in the womb has no symptoms at birth. However, symptoms such as blindness or intellectual disabilities later in life. While you are pregnant it is very necessary to wash fruits, vegetables properly to minimize the risk of infection. This is a good habit to follow even after the baby arrives. By following these habits, you and your family would be safer from these infections and keep you healthy too.
6.) Unpasteurized Milk, Cheese, Fruit Juice
Raw milk, soft-ripened cheese can contain harmful bacteria that include Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter. The same also goes for unpasteurized juice because it also contains bacterial contamination. These infections can lead to life-threatening consequences for an unborn baby. These bacteria can be caused by contamination. Pasteurization is the most effective way to kill harmful bacteria. In addition, to minimize the risk of infection you eat only pasteurized milk, cheese, and fruit juice
7.) Supplements Containing Vitamin A
Pregnant women shouldn’t take high doses of Vitamin A such as liver oil because it can harm the baby and the mother.
8.) Pre–Packed Salads
Don’t even think to eat pre-packed food items such as salads even from the buffet because it has the contamination of Listeria.
9.) Certain Fruits and Vegetables
Eating rockmelon has a risk of Listeria or bean sprouts can cause salmonella.
10.) Wash Fruits and Vegetables Before Eating them
Not during this pregnancy time but in your everyday life, you should clean the fruits and vegetables properly and remove all the dirt and soil from them to be healthy and safe.
11.) ALLERGIES TO SPECIFIC FOOD
If you consuming any particular food from which you have an allergy or that doesn’t suit you then you should avoid that because allergic food can cause maternal health problems.
12.) Unpasteurized Milk
If you have milk, drink only pasteurized or UHT (ultra-heat treated) milk (also called long-life milk). If only raw (unpasteurized) milk is available, boil it first. Don’t drink unpasteurized goat’s or sheep’s milk or eat food that is made out of them, such as soft goat’s cheese.
Don't eat soft-serve ice-creams while you're pregnant as they have a higher risk of Listeria contamination.
13.) Certain cheeses
It is safe to eat: all hard cheeses such as cheddar, stilton and parmesan soft pasteurized cheeses such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, feta, cream cheese, paneer, ricotta, and halloumi goats' cheese without a white coating on the outside (rind)processed cheese spreads. You can eat these cheeses if they are cooked to steaming hot: soft unpasteurized cheeses soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside soft blue cheeses. You should avoid certain types of cheese because they can cause an infection called listeriosis, which can be harmful to your baby. It is best to avoid: mold-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside, such as brie, camembert, and chevre (unless cooked until steaming hot) – these cheeses have more moisture, which can make it easier for bacteria to grow soft blue cheeses such as Danish blue, gorgonzola, and Roquefort (unless cooked until steaming hot) soft goats' cheese (unless cooked until steaming hot). Undercooked ready meals. It is important to follow the cooking instructions on the pack of any ready meals you eat. Also, check that the meal is steaming hot all the way through before you eat it. This is especially important for meals containing poultry like chicken or turkey.