Some women can eat their regular diet throughout their pregnancy with little to no difference. However, some pregnant mommas have a rough time from things they love that they can’t eat to not being able to hold anything down regardless of what it is.
There are more foods that can affect your health and the health of your growing baby than you might realize. The foods we should eat are more commonly known than the ones that should be avoided during pregnancy.
Avoid Seafood High In Mercury
Seafood is an excellent source of protein, and the omega-3 fatty acids found in most fish promote the baby’s eye and brain development. However, some shellfish and fish contain potentially dangerous amounts of mercury, and too much mercury can harm your little one’s developing nervous system.
The older and larger the fish is, the more mercury is likely to be present. Here are some fish to avoid.
- Tilefish
- King Mackerel
- Marlin
- Orange Roughy
- Bigeye Tuna
- Shark
- Swordfish
Avoid ANY Raw, Undercooked or Contaminated Seafood
Raw, uncooked, and contaminated seafood can lead to harmful bacteria and viruses entering your system and being fed to your baby.
Avoid Undercooked Meats, Poultry, Eggs
When a woman is pregnant, she is at an increased risk of getting bacterial food poisoning. A reaction can be much more severe while you’re pregnant than when you’re not. Food poisoning rarely affects the baby, but there is a slight chance that it will make your life difficult to be sick. To prevent foodborne illnesses, do the following.
- Make sure all meat and poultry are fully cooked, even if you prefer steak medium-rare.
- Cook lunch meat and hot dogs until they’re steaming hot.
- Try to avoid refrigerated meat spreads and pates.
- When cooking eggs, make sure the egg yolks and whites are firm.
Avoid Unpasteurized Food
Many low-fat dairy items like skim milk and cottage cheese can be extremely healthy. However, during pregnancy, avoid anything that is unpasteurized since it can lead to foodborne illnesses.
Avoid Excess Caffeine
Too much caffeine is bad for you whether you’re pregnant or not. You don’t need your heart rate to be too high, and you also don’t want to be feeding your baby too much caffeine in the womb.
Make sure whenever you’re going to be eating fresh fruits and vegetables that they get washed. You never know what could be lurking around on the produce, and there’s no need to put you and the baby at risk.
The list of what you can eat during pregnancy is much longer than what you can’t. However, every pregnancy is different, and some of the foods you usually love might turn against you while you’re pregnant. If you have any issues with certain foods during your pregnancy, please talk to your doctor to make sure there isn’t anything wrong. Usually, the food simply does not agree with you or the baby.
