Food can be a source of comfort for many people. It can be exceptionally comforting if you are with child. Although you want to eat all your favorite goodies, you need to learn about all the food women must stop eating when pregnant to keep you and your little one healthy.
Specific Types of Fish
Typically, fish is a healthy alternative to red meat, making it a popular choice among many. However, fish also contains high amounts of mercury, which can be toxic if you ingest too much of it. Thus, if you are a pescatarian, you might need to alter your eating habits a tad to limit your mercury intake. Types of fish you need to avoid include shark, tuna, orange roughy, and swordfish.
In addition to worrying about mercury, you must also steer clear of any raw and undercooked fish. Sadly, this means that sushi dinners are on pause for nine months. But it beats getting horrific illnesses like listeria that can hurt you and the baby.
Undercooked Meat
In the same vein as eating undercooked fish, you also want to avoid undercooked raw meat. Bacteria is rampant in undercooked beef, potentially leading to several deplorable conditions for your unborn child. Be sure to order any burger, steak, or tenderloin well done to avoid any gray area, even if it may not tickle the tastebuds.
Raw Eggs
It’s getting to be holiday baking season, which means it’s prime cookie time. As tempting as licking the spoon after making the dough, you must avoid it at all costs since it contains raw eggs. Luckily, commercial products use eggs that are safe to consume. You’ll want to double-check the labels to ensure pasteurization. If they are, you have the green light to eat that item.
Caffeine
Caffeine isn’t necessarily a food, but cutting it out from your life may be highly challenging. The good news is that you can still consume caffeine; however, you need to limit it. Keep it under 200 mg a day, allowing you to enjoy a bit of coffee, tea, or soda. Overexposure to caffeine will stunt the growth of your baby because it affects the placenta. Therefore, if you want to play it safe, keep the coffee in the pot.
Unpasteurized Products
Hyperbole aside, Louis Pasteur may be one of the most influential men in a pregnant woman’s life. Without him, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy eggs, milk, and cheese. Salmonella and E. Coli can develop in unpasteurized milk and cheese, opening the door for you to get Salmonella and E. coli.
Processed Foods
Instead of saying you need to eliminate processed foods, let’s say you need to cut down on the empty calories significantly. Putting the pressure on you to completely cut off all these food groups may require some guilty pleasures; just don’t make a habit of it.
Avoiding the food women must stop eating when pregnant is a daunting task for any mother-to-be. But with a disciplined mindset and support from family and friends, you can get through these nine months with no problem.
