Hey there, ladies! Pregnancy comes with a mix of emotions. While full of excitement at times, it can also be quite scary. There's usually a list of things you need to stay away from in order for your baby to be safe. Let's focus on your diet for this post.
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Today, we're going to discuss foods you should avoid while pregnant. Which seafood is dangerous? Should you continue with your caffeine addiction? Wait, I have to stay away from certain meats? We're talking about all that and more.
#01 Raw Meat
Meat is loaded with essential nutrients that are great for the fetus. But you have to make sure it's cooked properly. The quality of the meat will dictate its safety.
Raw meat can put your baby in real danger. Bacteria like salmonella can make it go bad. This will cause toxoplasmosis. This doesn't mean you completely remove beef, veal, pork, poultry, and seafood from your diet. You just need to cook it properly. Remember to cook your whole cuts at 145 degrees Fahrenheit. You will turn it up to 160 degrees for ground meats like hamburgers, and 165 for chicken breast. Cold meats are fine as well, but they have to be cooked perfectly.
What's your favorite kind of meat? How do you like to cook it? Sound off in the comments below, and start a conversation with our Healthy Mind - Think Big community.
#02 Deli Meat
All you smoked turkey lovers and honey-baked ham eaters must be confused right about now. You need to understand that deli meats can be seriously contaminated by a bad bacteria called listeria.
Do you know how nutrients are transferred from the mother to the baby through the placenta? Well, bacteria also go this way. As soon as it reaches the baby's system it starts doing harm to them. It has the potential to enter the unborn baby's blood, and even cause a miscarriage.
If you're a lover of deli items, this poses a problem. You need to be cautious if you're going to still eat them. Remember to reheat hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, refrigerated patties, and meat spreads until it's steaming hot. This will kill off the bacteria and make it safer to eat.
#03 Fish with Mercury
Fish is a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. But when it comes to Mercury, it can be toxic for your body. A few fish like swordfish, shark, mackerel, and tilefish cause developmental delays, metabolic problems, and brain damage in unborn babies. Canned tuna has a similar amount of Mercury than regular tuna. But moderation remains the key.
You should also avoid fish that can be served as Sushi. They may have higher Mercury levels. The takeaway is to avoid certain fish that can harm your baby without you realizing it. Looking for answers in all the latest health and wellness news hit that Subscribe button and join our millions of followers. Stay up to date on all our great Healthy Mind - Think Big content.
#04 Smoked Seafood
This is another food that should be off-limits for pregnant females. Smoked seafood remains one of the worst foods for expecting mothers. The refrigerated section of your grocery store can have smoked seafood labeled as kippered, jerky, nova, style, or even lox. All these foods should be avoided due to listeria. Yep, you can find it in seafood as well.
However, canned smoked seafood, typically found in the deli section, is safe to eat. If the seafood you're eating has been served to you on a dish, make sure it's been cooked properly. If so, you should be in the clear. Heating the seafood will kill off the dangerous bacteria.
#05 Eggs
You and your baby need extra energy to carry on through those nine months. Eggs have a bunch of vitamins and minerals that are essential for making your baby healthy. They also lower the baby's chances of having brain or spinal cord disorders. So if these are the effects, what's the big deal? Well, like other foods on our list, the eggs have to be cooked the right way. Having raw or semi-cooked eggs can really hurt.
Again, you need to worry about salmonella. This infection can cause the mother to experience fever, bloating abdominal cramps, vomiting, and headache. Miscarriage, preterm birth, and death of the fetus can also be side effects. If you plan on making caesar salad dressing, mayonnaise, ice cream, custard, or eggnog just skip using the raw egg. Commercially available products and restaurant dishes will have pasteurized eggs in their recipes, which makes them much safer to eat. While we're on the subject check out our post on What will happen by eating one egg daily?.
#06 Raw Shellfish
Pregnancy does funny things to your body. And food cravings are one of them. Having an extra pickle slice is safe, but if you're having uncontrollable oyster cravings, you need to readout. Generally, shellfish like oysters, clams, and mussels can be enjoyed raw. Your body's immune system becomes weak during pregnancy. This leaves you vulnerable to food poisoning and infection.
Remember to fry, broil, bake or boil shellfish if you have to eat them. Cooking can prevent algae-related infections related to red tides. Take extra precautions and make sure you buy the freshest shellfish. They should have completely closed shells and smell like saltwater. Remember to keep cooked fish away from the raw. Containers in the fridge should be wrapped with plastic, or sealed up. If you're cooking with shellfish, be sure to wash your hands from time to time. This will get rid of the bacteria that may have latched onto your fingers.
#07 Cheese
Attention all pregnant cheese lovers we're sorry if we've broken. Your heart this is just another nine-month sacrifice you'll have to make. Soft cheeses generally don't use pasteurized milk. This increases the chances of listeria. Now if you live somewhere like the united states, it would be difficult for you to find a cheese that's non-pasteurized. You should still be careful. Listeria could linger in pasteurized milk as well. Make sure you read the back of the product before buying cheese. Look for the label reading "made from pasteurized milk". Cheeses we eat on the regular, like cream cheese, or cottage cheese are extremely safe, so go ahead with those.
#08 Unpasteurized Milk
I know we just mentioned it, but it deserves its own quick little entry on our list. Unpasteurized milk can also increase your chances of being infected by listeria. This makes it so much more harmful for your baby this is why you should only buy store-bought milk.
#09 Freshly Squeezed Juice
How many of you chug down glasses of freshly squeezed juice thinking that it's healthy just because it doesn't have any added sugar? Well, you thought wrong. Drinking freshly squeezed juice can increase your exposure to salmonella and E. Coli bacteria. There's a special kind of procedure that juices generally undergo before they reach the grocery store aisle. The more bacteria is in your juice, the higher chance you have of getting food poisoning.
#10 Caffeine
If you're a caffeine addict, going nine long months without it can be a hard task. Going cold turkey right away is probably the best, but if you're unable to do so, 200 milligrams a day should be your limit. Avoid it completely in the first trimester, as coffee can eliminate fluids from your body. That can be dangerous if the water level around the baby drops too low.
Caffeine can enter your body through other tricky foods like soda, chocolate, energy drinks, and even types of medicine. So if you have 200 milligrams, you can easily go overboard with just a piece of chocolate. Having too much caffeine during pregnancy can be linked to premature birth, low birth weight, and even withdrawal symptoms in a few infants. So it's best to avoid it altogether.
#11 Alcohol
This is one of the most important entries on our list. Stay away from booze! Pregnancy can pose problems for routine drinkers. If you're unaware that you're pregnant, a few drinks can hurt your baby. Stay away from alcohol for the entire length of your pregnancy. Unlike caffeine, there is no safe amount of alcohol to drink when you're pregnant. It can cause brain damage, birth defects, delayed development, and learning disabilities for your child. Mothers who drink a lot may have to deal with fetal alcohol syndrome with their babies.
Kicking your favorite foods often feels like an impossible task. There's always going to be a list of foods and drinks you shouldn't have. Have we sparked your interest? Let's keep the conversation going with a couple more posts, shall we? Here's what you need to know...
Read 10 HEALTHY AND BALANCED DIET WHICH NOT CONTAINS FATS you can also check out 11 Foods Rich in Biotin - Foods With Biotin (Vitamin B7, Vitamin H). Go ahead, click one. or better yet, read both, and learn more about how to keep your gut healthy. Which foods did you avoid in your pregnancy? let us know in the comments below!
The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. You should never use content in my writing as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or another qualified clinician. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if indicated for medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog. Thank you.