10 Foods You Should Avoid During Pregnancy & Why

Some foods are off limits during pregnancy, so, if you are pregnant, extra care must be taken to ensure they are not included in your diet. Find some of such foods below and why they should be avoided…

1. Undercooked meat or seafood
Avoid eating raw or undercooked beef, pork, chicken and fish, as there’s an increased risk of contracting bacteria and other pathogens that thrive in them. These include E. Coli, toxoplasmosis, and salmonella. These infections may cause complications in both mother and baby.

To be cocksure your meat is safe enough to eat, apart from being steaming hot with no trace of blood, experts advise getting a food thermometre to make sure beef is cooked up to 145 degrees. Pork and poultry should be cooked up to 160 and 165 degrees, respectively.

In addition, wash and dry your hands, utensils and surfaces thoroughly after handling raw meat.

2. Unpasteurized juice
Though this is a quite natural way to add more servings of fruits and veggies into your diet and get extras of those essential nutrients, it’s best to stick to freshly squeezed homemade juices alone and consume them immediately. Hold off on buying from stores or consuming those made away from your home for now as you really can’t guarantee hygienic preparation. They may harbour E. Coli or Listeria, which can put your health and ‘developing foetus’ at risk.

3. Undercooked eggs
Pregnant women should also avoid consuming raw or undercooked eggs to prevent exposure to salmonella which often causes severe bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting. Avoid foods that contain raw or partially cooked eggs, including homemade ice cream (commercially produced ones are safe), as well. Eggs must always be cooked till whites and yolks are solid.

4. Restaurant-made salads
Preferably, strike out consuming restaurant-made salads for now and prepare at home to minimize the risk of contracting Listeria which your suppressed immune system may not be able to fight off, putting your foetus at risk of complications. Exposure to Listeria may also increase the risk of having a miscarriage.

Remember, when preparing at home, fruits and vegetables must be properly cleaned and hygienically prepared.

5. Unpasteurized dairy

Raw milk and other dairy products should also be avoided as well to prevent exposure to Listeria. Avoid those locally sold cheese and unpasteurized cow’s milk as they are likely loaded with lots of harmful bacteria that may put your health and baby’s at risk.

6. High-mercury fish

Fishes including shark, tilefish, swordfish and king mackerel should be avoided as they contain high levels of mercury which tends to accumulate in the body. Consumption of high-mercury fish during pregnancy may cause developmental delays and brain damage in babies. Safer options include tilapia and salmon which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Note that while pregnant, you should also avoid having more than two portions of oily fish per week to limit exposure to toxins and pollutants such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) which are bad news for your developing foetus’ health.

7. Liver
Intake of liver and other organ meats is also not recommended during pregnancy to prevent excessive buildup of Vitamin A in the body. Too much of this essential vitamin, which pregnant women usually get enough of from their prenatal vitamins and diet, may cause birth defects.

8. Canned foods
These foods which are usually packed and stored over a quite long period are also not recommended during pregnancy. Experts say the lining in the cans often contains Bisphenol A (BPA), which may adversely affect the developing foetus. Some may also contain harmful bacteria due to their long shelf life. Opt for freshly prepared foods!

9. Highly acidic fruits

These should be avoided, especially in the first trimester as they may cause a forced abortion. They include grapes, lime, lemon and pineapple. Talk to your doctor about moderate consumption if you really love these fruits.

10. Caffeine and alcohol

In addition, caffeine and alcohol are best avoided to prevent exceeding safe limits which may put you at higher risk of having complications including a miscarriage or stillbirth.

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