Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is such a precious time and one where the new mother really wants to take extra care of herself, her growing baby and their diet.Of course it is important to eat what you like and fancy, but there are certain foods that really do need to be avoided during pregnancy.
The main foods to avoid during pregnancy are the groups that could cause Salmonella, listeria or toxoplasmosis. What you eat during pregnancy is so important, that making sure you don not eat these is a must!
Foods that could cause Salmonella include:
Raw or Runny Eggs, Mayonnaise made with Raw Egg and Raw or Undercooked Meat.
Salmonella Bacterium can cause food poisoning. It's a risk to both you and your baby as the food poisoning causes high temperature, vomiting, diarrhoea and dehydration. This could potentially cause a miscarriage or preterm labour.
Foods that could cause Listeria include: Liver and Liver pate, Unpasteurized Dairy Products(ripened soft cheeses like brie, camembert and blue veined cheeses), Unpasteurized Milk and Unheated Cooked foods. Make sure that reheating is thorough if you are eating ready meals!
Listeriosis is a bacteria that causes a mild flu like illness in the mother. This could lead to a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Foods that could cause Toxoplasmosis include: Raw or uUndercooked Meat, Raw Cured Meats such as Parma Ham and Salami.
Toxoplasmosis is caused by the toxoplasma parasite. It's usually symptomless apart from a mild flu like symptom. Toxoplasmosis can cause serious problems for your baby.
Caffeine and Alcohol also need to be watched and limited!
It is recommended (Food Standards Agency), that you stop drinking alcohol altogether. However, if you do continue then please limit it to only 1 or 2 units per week, and never get drunk (1 unit = half a pint of beer, lager or cider or a pub measure of spirit. A glass of wine measures approximately 2 units).
As for Caffeine, this also needs to be limited. As we know it is found in tea, coffee, chocolate, cola drinks and energy drinks, but it can also be found in cold and flu rememdies! Excessive caffeine can result in a low birth weight baby or even a miscarriage.
Recommendation (FSA again), for caffeine daily is 300mg, and here is a guide for you to work it out:
1 Mug Instant & Brewed Coffee = 100mg each
1 Mug Tea = 75mg each
Can Cola = 40 - 50mg each (plus sugar!)
Energy Drink = 80 mg each (plus sugar)
Plain Chocolate 50g bar = 50mg (milk chocolate is less) Both contain SUGAR too!
Other Foods That Should Be Avoided include: shellfish, Peanuts (could increase the risk of your baby developing an allergy to nuts, especially if it is in your family) and Buffet foods (the reheating thing again!)
Also eating too much tinned fish especially Tuna can be harmful due to the mercury levels (high levels can harm a baby's nervous system). Therefore, I would avoid tinned tuna and if you can and limit tuna steaks to only 1 or 2 per week. Other fish to avoid is swordfish, shark and marlin.