| Many
women have questions about the types of food that
are safe to eat during pregnancy. It is actually easier
to discuss the types of foods you should avoid during
pregnancy than it is do discuss the foods that are
safe to eat.
There's a lot of food to avoid during pregnancy because
they may be harmful to you or your developing baby.
Food To Avoid During Pregnancy
Deli and Processed Sandwich Meats – these
meats might be contaminated with Listeria, a potentially
deadly bacteria that can result in miscarriage or
even a stillbirth. While listeria is relatively harmless
to most ordinary people, it can be life threatening
for your unborn baby. Pregnant women are more susceptible
to listeria because of their lowered immune system.
If you want to eat deli meats, be sure that you cook
them until they are steaming hot, which will help
kill any bacteria that might be present.
Raw meats
Much lie deli meats, raw
meats should be avoided because they can carry bacteria
that are harmful for both mother and baby.
Certain
types of fish
While most fish is healthy,
there are certain kinds of fish that contain high
levels of mercury, which is harmful for your unborn
baby’s brain. Consuming too much mercury during pregnancy
can result in developmental problems and even brain
damage. The types of fish that contain the highest
levels of mercury include: swordfish, shark, king
mackerel, tuna, sea bass and tilefish.
Raw eggs
Like raw meat, raw eggs
have the potential to carry bacteria, particularly
salmonella. Believe it or not raw eggs are in a number
of various products including some forms of Caesar
dressing, mayonnaise and even ice cream. If you are
uncertain about whether or not something you are eating
contains raw eggs, avoid it unless you can find out
for certain whether or not it is harmful.
Unpasteurized soft
cheeses
Some chesses that
are imported also have the potential to carry life
threatening Listeria if they are not pasteurized.
The most common types of cheese that carry this risk
include certain forms of Brie, Camembert, feta, Gorgonzola
and Mexican cheeses like queso. If these cheeses are
pasteurized however they should be safe to consume.
Unpasteurized milk
or juices
Remember that any type
of milk product or juice that has not been pasteurized
has the potential to carry Listeria and other bacteria
that may be harmful for you and your baby during pregnancy.
You should also avoid alcohol during your pregnancy.
There is no known safe amount of alcohol that can
be recommended during pregnancy. There are numerous
fetal abnormalities and birth defects as well as developmental
problems that have been associated with alcohol use
during pregnancy. Alcohol should also be minimized
or avoided during breastfeeding, because it can pass
through the breast milk.
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