Pregnancy and Diet: Say No to These Foods

Avoid these foods or limit their intake during your pregnancy.

Know the foods you should avoid during pregnancy

(Image: iStock)

Pregnancy comes with a bunch of challenges from weight changes, hormonal imbalance, nausea, morning sickness, muscle pains, etc. There are things you get to hear all around.

Everyone has something to say – some advice to help you with. Dietary changes are one of the main bummers and people feel really demotivated and sad when they realise they will have to give up on a few foods they enjoy.

But how many of such foods you really should give up? Are they really harmful or it's just the chaos around you?

In this article, we shall let you know about the foods that pregnant women must stay away from in case they need to maintain a healthy and full-term pregnancy without any complications.

High Mercury Fish

According to PubMed Central, few fishes like shark, swordfish, mackerel, tuna, marlin, etc. have high mercury content. Mercury is a toxic element and it is mainly found in polluted waters which increases the risk of damaging and causing developmental problems in the nervous system, kidneys, and immune system.

Therefore, you must avoid such fishes and switch to fishes with low mercury content like haddock, flounder, salmon, tilapia, etc. which are important for the development of the baby since they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Unprocessed or Uncooked Fish

According to the US NIH, people who enjoy sushi or other dishes with raw fish must avoid eating it while their pregnancy since it can lead to viral, bacterial, and parasitic infections causing fatigue and dehydration, which might also prove fatal for the baby.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pregnant women are 10 times more at risk to develop Listeria infection which is found in polluted water or soil and might get into the fish while processing or cooking.

Consumption of raw or undercooked fish can result in miscarriage, preterm birth, stillbirth, etc.

Unprocessed Meat

Like the above-mentioned raw and undercooked fish, pregnant women must also avoid eating raw, undercooked, or processed meat since they increase the risk of bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections which result in the neurologically challenged child suffering from epilepsy, blindness, or intellectual disability.

Beef, minced meat, pork, poultry, cut or whole meat are all a part of the diet that should be excluded from the daily foods consumed by a pregnant woman.

Raw Eggs

According to Healthline, raw eggs contain the bacteria Salmonella which can lead to an infection with symptoms like nausea, fever, cramps, and diarrhea. These cramps may grow towards the uterus resulting in miscarriage or preterm birth.

That is why avoid eating dishes like poached eggs, homemade icings, ice creams or cakes, homemade mayonnaise, etc. Some foods available in the markets are safe to consume since they contain pasteurised eggs but make sure to read the labels before buying.

Caffeine

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pregnant women must limit their caffeine intake and keep it to less than 200 milligrams per day. It can be difficult to cut down on caffeine since we all love our cups of coffee, tea, energy drinks, and cocoa.

But is necessary to keep a check on your caffeine intake because excess caffeine consumption can lead to low birth weight, stillbirth, reduced fetal growth, and infant death and also increases the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood.

Unpasteurised Milk

According to the US NIH, pregnant women must avoid consuming cheese because most of the time they might be contaminated with bacteria like Salmonella, Listeria, E.coli, Campylobacter, etc. These foods can cause infections posing life-threatening risks to the unborn child.

Even unpasteurised juice can have these bacteria. Pasteurisation kills most of these germs without affecting the nutritional value of the foods. Therefore, make sure to consume pasteurised cheese, milk, or juice.