Pregnancy is a time to be careful and cautious especially when it involves nutrition. What you eat directly affects your baby and though you may have heard common advice to avoid foods like Pineapples, alcohol and raw cheese, doctors now reveal ten more surprising foods pregnant women should avoid.
Dr. Emma Derbyshire a public health nutritionist revealed to the daily mail recently that certain snacks, fruits and juice which were surprisingly regarded as common fare were actually detrimental to the health of both mother and child. Here are 10 such foods to avoid when pregnant.
Unpasteurized fruit and vegetable juice can do more harm than good. Such items contain bacteria harmful for people with weakened immunity and that includes pregnant women. Freshly squeezed juices especially need to be avoided such as those sold at farmers markets, juice bars and roadside stalls.
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Pate contains a bacterium called Listeria Monocytogenes; hence pregnant women should avoid consuming it as a spread on toast. Consuming pate may result in listeriosis which causes common flu like symptoms, nausea and possibly diarrhea and vomiting. This can be a dangerous development in pregnancy inviting the risk of a stillborn or miscarriage and illness in the newborn baby. Smoked salmon is a better choice safe to eat.
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Alfafa sprouts should be avoided as alfafa seed is a host that invites bacteria. Alafafa sprouts can also contain bacteria strains like slamonella, listeria and E.coli and no amount of cooking will destroy them.
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Cantaloupe is a cultivated muskmelon that is 90 per cent H20, nine per cent carbohydrates and one per cent protein and fat. However, the bumpy rinds of cantaloupe can be invaded by listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Not washing the rinds or even nibbling them unintentionally can result in a risk of miscarriage.
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A fat juicy hotdog with a blob of mustard or ketchup can be extremely inviting but if you’re pregnant think twice and its best avoided. Sausages could also contain listeria monocytogenes. They should be reheated to a very high temperature of at least 160 degrees F for germs to be killed and fast food joints may not be able to meet such heating requirements so you shouldn’t give in to such cravings.
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Given the fact that lean red meat is a great source of protein, iron and vitamin B12, but salami and pepperoni meats are also foods pregnant women should avoid. Such meats contain preservatives called nitrates harmful for the developing fetus.
Foods like pepperoni and salami laced with preservatives contain extremely high salt levels harmful for both Mother and baby. Avoid those spicy dried sausages which can always be eaten after your pregnancy.
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Put a hold on your eggs Benedict if you can’t do without Hollandaise sauce as it isn’t a good choice in pregnancy. Sauces made with raw egg can contain Salmonella and very dangerous for pregnant women. Moreover other foods included in this category are Eggnog, homemade ice creams and mayonnaise which should also be avoided.
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Popular desserts like tiramisu, meringue and mousses should also be cut off your dessert list if you have a baby bump as these too could pose a risk of salmonella.
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Tuna should be eaten in moderation when you are pregnant. Tuna contains mercury which is harmful to your baby’s nervous system. Not more than four 140 gm cans of tuna or two 140 gms of tuna steak should be eater per week. It is always better to consume fresh tuna which contains beneficial omega 3 fatty acids. Such beneficial items can be removed during the canning process in the canned variety.
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Both chewy black sweet licorice and liquorice tea (Glycyrrhiza glabra) should be avoided as they contain the active ingredient glycyrrhiza. Research studies suggest that consuming this in pregnancy increases a risk of stillbirth. Although the reason is not known, it’s not worth taking a risk and should be seriously considered among the foods pregnant women should avoid.
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According to Dr. Emma Derbyshire, it isn’t necessary to east for two. You only need to add approximately 200 calories more in your third semester. Some beneficial foods which you should eat are avocados packed with a variety of 20 nutrients, eggs, lean meat and oily fish (upto 2 weekly portions).
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