10 Foods to Avoid When Pregnant

foods to avoid when pregnant pregnant woman

By Fatima Virrey , Parent Herald Sep 24, 11:10 am

Photo: (Photo : Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels)

What foods to avoid when pregnant is one of the first things people learn once they're expecting a baby. It can be hard if you're a pregnant mom who's a big sushi, coffee, or rare stake fan. In this article, we'll share with you 10 foods to avoid when pregnant.

High mercury fish

Mercury is a highly toxic element that can be found in polluted water. In higher amounts, it can be toxic to your nervous and immune systems, and kidneys. Also, it may cause serious developmental problems in children. High mercury fish include shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tuna, marlin, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico, and orange roughy.

Undercooked or raw fish

This is a tough one for sushi lovers. Raw fish, especially shellfish, can cause many infections. These can be viral, bacterial, or parasitic infections. Some of these may only affect you, but some other infections may be passed on to your baby with serious or even fatal effects.

Undercooked, raw, and processed meat

Addition to the foods to avoid when pregnant is this. Eating undercooked or raw meat increases the risk of infection from many bacteria or parasites including Toxoplasma, E. coli, Listeria, and Salmonella. These bacteria may threaten the health of the baby, possibly leading to stillbirth or the birth of the baby that has died in the womb or serious illnesses including intellectual disability, blindness, and epilepsy.

Raw eggs

Raw eggs can be infected with Salmonella. Foods that contain raw eggs are lightly scrambled eggs, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce, homemade mayonnaise, some homemade salad dressings, homemade ice cream, and homemade cake icings.

Organ meat

Organ meat is a great source of lots of nutrients. But eating too much of this can lead to birth defects and miscarriage. It's best to keep your intake of organ meats like liver to just a few ounces, once per week.

Caffeine

High caffeine intake during pregnancy has been shown to limit fetal growth and increase the risk of low birth weight and delivery. So, keep your eye on your daily cup of coffee or soda to make sure your baby doesn't have too much exposure to caffeine.

Raw sprouts

Raw sprouts as well as alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts are included in the foods to avoid when pregnant since it may be infected with Salmonella.

Raw milk, cheese, and fruit juice

Raw milk, cheese, and soft-ripened cheeses can have different kinds of harmful bacteria. The same goes for raw juice which can also have bacterial infections.

Junk foods

Junk foods are low in nutrients and high in calories, sugar, and added fats. While some weight gain is needed during pregnancy, excess weight gain has been linked to many complications and diseases.

Alcohol

When you're pregnant, you need to stop or avoid drinking alcohol as it increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth or the birth of the baby that has died in the womb. Even a small amount can negatively affect your baby's brain development. It can also cause serious alcohol syndrome, which involves facial deformities, heart defects, and intellectual disability.