What Not To Eat When Pregnant

If you are pregnant, the only thought that probably keeps creeping in your mind is the healthy development of your baby. You may add a fruit to your fortified breakfast cereal, extra veggies in your favorite dishes, and eat yogurt desserts so that your baby gets enough nutrition and is born healthy. Nevertheless, do you know that there are certain foods that should be avoided during pregnancy? Perhaps you have read somewhere that seafood is good for moms-to-be, but do you know that mercury contaminated seafood can increase the risk of neural birth defects in newborns? Did you know that undercooked meat and poultry can lead to food borne illnesses and should be avoided by pregnant women? If you are curious to know about the foods to avoid during pregnancy, keep reading through the next section. On the other hand, if you are pregnant, don’t forget to consult your physician about a good pregnancy diet plan.

Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Unpasteurized Foods
Pregnant women must steer clear of unpasteurized food. Many low fat dairy products like skimmed milk, cottage cheese, and mozzarella cheese are good for health, but if they contain any unpasteurized milk, then they should be strictly shunned. Unpasteurized dairy products may lead to food-borne illnesses and should be avoided by expectant women. Furthermore, while buying feta, blue cheese, brie, or panela make sure they are made from pasteurized milk.

Avoid Undercooked Meat and Poultry Products
Expectant women are at higher risk of getting bacterial food poisoning due to altered metabolism and circulation. As a result, pregnant women should always avoid eating undercooked meat. Make sure all meat and poultry products are fully cooked. You can also use a meat thermometer to make sure that the meat you cook is cooked well. Avoid eating refrigerated meat spreads. Ensure that you only consume cooked hot dogs and deli meats. Still, it is better to avoid such foods fully during pregnancy.

Avoid Raw Seafood
To avoid developing food borne infections, avoid eating raw fish and shellfish, especially oysters and clams. Consuming refrigerated smoked seafood is also not very safe. So, it is advisable to avoid them during pregnancy.

Say No To Sugary Food
Sugary food items like cakes, ice creams, and chocolates are loaded with empty calories with no nutritional value. If you crave sugary food, eat fruits that are loaded with vital nutrients and vitamins, antioxidants, dietary fibers, etc. Consuming food with no nutritional value has no purpose at all and should be shunned during pregnancy. 

Deep Fried Foods
Deep fried foods like chips, fried chicken, fries, etc are packed with trans fats that increase bad cholesterol levels and decrease good cholesterol levels. In addition, these foods are also loaded with additives that are not good for the would-be-mom and her baby. Moreover, deep fried foods have excess salt content that may increase the blood pressure in pregnant women. It is therefore always good to stay away from deep fried foods during pregnancy.

Raw and Undercooked Eggs
Raw eggs are sources of salmonella which is a harmful motile enterobacteria that causes typhoid and food poisoning. So avoid eating raw or undercooked eggs like half boiled eggs. Raw eggs can be present in Caesar salad dressings, mayonnaise etc. All these food items should be therefore avoided as well.

Fish With High Mercury Content
Fish is a vital source of protein and can provide important nutrients for the healthy development of your baby. However, some sea fish can be contaminated with dangerously high levels of mercury which can damage the normal development of your baby’s nervous system.