Foods you can't eat when pregnant

Women who are pregnant, need to take extra measures to avoid three fairly widespread substances: listeria, mercury, and toxoplasma. Lack of evidence of some bad effects of certain chemicals like sweeteners makes it hard to classify what foods to avoid during pregnancy. When in question, it is better to avoid the particular food and choose a healthier alternate. Of course, consult your gynaecologist if you have any question during pregnancy.



1. Raw Meats: Raw meats such as sushi, seafood (especially shellfish), rare or uncooked beef or poultry foods should be avoided during pregnancy due to the risk of coliform bacteria, toxoplasmosis and salmonella.



2. Deli meats including hot dogs: These deli meats might be contaminated with listeria bacteria which may result in miscarriage. It's safe to eat deli meats if you reheat them until steaming hot or avoid altogether.



3. Raw eggs: Raw eggs may contain salmonella. Some Caesar salad dressings, mayonnaise, homemade ice cream and custards as well as Hollandaise sauces may be made with raw eggs. In addition, unpasteurized eggnog should be avoided during pregnancy. Definitely one of the top foods to avoid during pregnancy.



4. Fish high in mercury: Another important food you can't eat when pregnant. In many places in the U.S. there are high levels of Mercury or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the fish. When you consume large amounts of mercury, your baby may suffer brain damage resulting in developmental delays (for example, delays in learning to walk or talk). Consumption of fish containing high levels of PCBs in their fatty tissues is linked to decreased attention, memory, and IQ in babies. Check with your local Health Department to determine which fish in your area are safe to eat.



5. Soft cheeses: Soft cheeses such as blue cheese, feta (goat cheese), brie, cambert, Latin-American soft white cheeses (such as queso blanco and queso fresco) and blue-veined cheeses (such as roquefort) may become contaminated with the Listeria bacteria. Listeria could cause sickness or death in you or in your child.



6. Over the counter food: Avoid canned, tinned or prepackaged foods. Many of them can have Salmonella or other bacteria. Even hotdogs and burgers bought from vendors can cause diseases.



7. Liver: Minimize the amount of liver you eat. Animal liver contains very high levels of vitamin A. While vitamin A is good for you, women who consume too much may risk a higher incidence of birth defects in their babies. Since you're probably already taking prenatal vitamins and eating other vitamin A-containing foods, it's better to be safe and not consume liver on a regular basis.



8. Artificial sweeteners: No-no food you can't eat when pregnant.The consumption of artificial sweeteners, such as can be found in diet soda, is safe for the general public. No studies show conclusively that it's harmful for humans to consume artificial sweeteners during pregnancy. The risk seems to be lowest with aspartame, while Saccharin has been shown to cause birth defects and cancer in rodent studies. you might choose to limit your consumption of artificial sweeteners during pregnancy. Instead, substitute fruit juice, milk or water.



9. Unpasteurized milk and milk products: Most of our milk products are made from pasteurized milk. Pasteurized milk has gone through a special cleaning process to rid it of any bacteria, especially listeria. Milk boiled at high temperature (pasteurized) kills the deadly bacteria.



10. Alcohol: During your pregnancy, it is important that you try to avoid alcoholic beverages. Though you may be used to having a glass of wine with dinner, alcohol can severely damage your baby and hinder her development. Alcohol can pass through your placenta and prevent your baby from getting much-needed oxygen and nutrients. Heavy drinking during pregnancy can also increase your child's risk of developing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, an illness that causes severe mental and physical side effects.



11. Other foods: Pineapple, papaya and sesame seeds should be avoided during pregnancy.



12. Go organic: Very important for a healthy baby. You do not want to feed your baby the hazardous pesticides and chemicals that come for free with groceries. Check out the informative hub on Top organic foods you should eat for more information.