When driven by desire, expecting a child is a blessing. But the minute a person finds out they are pregnant, the no-eat list seems to grow bigger and bigger every day. This can make those first few months of pregnancy particularly hard. Especially for those who love a hot cup of coffee in the morning, or that sushi meal with their loved ones.
The list of ingredients that should be avoided is not so much of a problem for those who don’t depend on them, of course. But with pregnancy and cravings, one never knows.
On this note, two things are worth mentioning. First, the list is rather short compared to what one can eat, although it might take some time to change old food habits. Secondly, even if the foods listed here are widely popular for not being consumed during pregnancy, no list should be final before checking with a doctor. Professionals are the only ones authorized to tell one which foods should be completely avoided and which ones can be eaten rarely.
Seafood
This is a classic item in the list of foods one should completely avoid during pregnancy. However, and contrary to popular belief, it is not all seafood. The problem with this group is that many fish contain mercury, a highly toxic element, due to contaminated waters. For that reason, most fish are completely forbidden during pregnancy. In this sense, tuna is off the limits. However, for example, shrimps are OK. Due to the fact shrimp has no mercury, you can still have that shrimp and rice recipe you like so much.
Raw food
As part of the previous group as well, sushi should be avoided too, but for different reasons. Consuming raw food, especially raw fish, can be dangerous for all. That risk highly increases during pregnancy. Raw fish can cause infections such as salmonella, listeria and more. Symptoms like weakness or dehydration can affect the pregnant, but more serious consequences can be passed on to the baby.
On this note, it is worth mentioning the same goes for raw eggs, which is a very common thing to consume for many. Raw eggs can be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria, so they should be avoided in all forms.
Processed meat
This group is often overlooked and the fact that it is listed here might be a surprise for many. Processed meat such as hot dogs, paté and more should be avoided as well. WHy is this? Because during the processing and sometimes during storage even, they can get infected with several bacteria.
Burgers, for example, which are packed and ready to grill should also be a matter of concern. But, in this case, they are not to be avoided completely, but very well cooked. This goes also for meat in general.
Dairy
This is true only of those products that are not pasteurized for the same reasons. Unpasteurized dairy can be contaminated with Salmonella, Listeria or E. coli. Even if it shouldn’t be completely discarded, one can lower the risk of infection by choosing pasteurized products such as fruit juice, cheese or milk.
Caffeine
This might be the hardest item to escape during pregnancy, but luckily for those who love coffee, it is not necessary to avoid it completely. The solution is to limit the intake to 200 milligrams of coffee a day.
How can coffee be dangerous? The body absorbs coffee rather quickly and it can easily go through the placenta. In large amounts, and because the baby doesn’t have the necessary enzyme to metabolize caffeine, it can limit the baby’s growth or lead to a low weight at the moment of birth, which is a high indicator of chronic diseases.
Pregnancy is all about taking maximum care of the body in order to provide a healthy and safe environment for the baby to grow in. A stricter diet is sometimes suggested, depending on the person’s food habits. However, and specially for those who already carry healthy habits, this doesn’t represent much of a change. In any case, common sense is to be put into practice more so than ever. In addition, doctor’s check-ups are of the essence and, in the face of any doubts, the person to ask.
