We already now know βThe 6 Foods To Eat When Pregnantβ. If you missed that one from last month (Click Here) .
Now, due to several requests, I have compiled a list of βThe 6 Foods To Avoid When Pregnantβ, below.
High Level- Mercury Fish β Is really toxic. It is not safe to consume at all, and is most commonly found in polluted seas.
In high amounts it can be toxic to your immune system, kidneys and nervous system.
Since it is found in polluted seas, large fish that live in these oceans can accumulate high amounts of mercury.
So I would advise pregnant women not to eat high level- Mercury fish at all.
High Level- Mercury Fish include:
Tuna ( Albacore tuna is a no no)
Swordfish
King mackerel
Shark
DID YOU KNOW? It is important to note that not every single fish is high in mercury, just certain types. Consuming low- mercury fish during pregnancy is very healthy, and these fish can be eaten up to 2 to 3 times a week. Fatty fish is real high in omega-3 fatty acids, which is important for your baby.
Raw Fish- You must not eat this at all cost! Most raw fish carry several infections such as Salmonella and Listeria.
For example Listeria can cause Miscarriage, Premature delivery, Stillbirth and other health issues .
Therefore I would advise Pregnant women to avoid eating raw fish and shellfish. So this includes many sushi dishes.
DID YOU KNOW? The other infections raw fish carry are Norovirus & Vibrio.. not very pleasant π
Raw Eggs- I mean why would you do such a thing ? Raw eggs may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The symptoms of Salmonella infections are normally experienced by the mother only.
The symptoms include:
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever
Stomach cramps
Diarrhea
Though in some rare cases, the infection can cause cramps in the uterus, leading to premature birth or stillbirth.
DID YOU KNOW? Lightly scrambled eggs, Poached eggs, Hollandaise sauce, Homemade mayo, Salad dressing, Homemade ice cream and icing on cake all commonly contain raw eggs in them.
Unwashed Fruit & Vegetables- Surfaces of unwashed or unpeeled fruits and vegetables could contaminate with several bacteria and parasites.
These include Salmonella, E. Coli and Listeria, which you can get from the soil or through handling.
Contamination can actually happen during production, harvest, processing, storage and transportation.
While youβre pregnant, itβs very important to minimize the risk of infection by thoroughly rinsing, peeling or cooking fruits and vegetables.
DID YOU KNOW? A dangerous parasite called Toxoplasma is found in unwashed fruit and vegetables. This why it is always important to rinse, peel thoroughly or cook your fruits and vegetables, to minimize chances of infection to you and your child.
Caffeine- Such as Coffee, Tea, Soft drinks and Cocoa for pregnant women, I would generally advise to limit their Caffeine intake to less than 200 mg per day, or about 2 to 3 cups of coffee.
Caffeine is absorbed very quickly, and passes easily into the placenta.
I also discovered that because unborn babies and their placentas do not have the main enzyme needed to metabolize caffeine, high levels can build up.
High caffeine intake during pregnancy has been shown to restrict fetal growth and increase the risk of low birth weight at delivery.
DID YOU KNOW? Drinking high amounts of Caffeine can cause low birth weight which increases infant death and chronic diseases in adulthood such as Type2-Diabetes & heart disease.
Alcohol- I’m sure this goes without saying that pregnant women should not be drinking any alcohol – period.
It’s been long known about the increased risk of miscarriage and stillbirth by hitting the bottle.
Even a small amount can have negative impacts to your baby’s brain development since no level of alcohol has been proven to be safe during pregnancy.
If I asked you if you would like to poison your baby ? And you say βNOβ then don’t drink because this is what you are doing to your innocent baby.
DID YOU KNOW? If you answered yes to that question I advise you to seek some professional help!
Conclusion
Proper sanitation of the food and handling of food is always your best bet, especially whilst pregnant.
Though, this not always easy to do, since some foods could already be contaminated when purchased.
Therefore, it is best to avoid the foods on the list completely. The health of you and your unborn baby should come first ( Includes consumption of drink too)
If you want to learn more about the foods you should be eating during pregnancy, then, again
THAT’S IT!
I hope you’ve realized more than ever how important a healthy diet is,
Especially whilst pregnant.
I’ve loved doing this one, especially as it was requested by you guys!
What did you think of it ?
What did you learn from it ?
Any other questions ?
Then just leave a comment below and I will of course get back to you
Until next time ciao π
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I love this post. I’m Working on cutting down my Caffeine intake.
Thank You Qi π
This was a very insightful post Karim.
Glad you found it so Pavani.
I never knew that raw fish like Sushi was not appropriate.
Yeah It’s not wise to eat this whilst pregnant.
I used to crave coke, whilst pregnant. I wanted to drink shed loads of it.I just couldn’t do it though, knowing my now 4 year old was inside of me.
I’m glad you didn’t.. Thank you for sharing this Nicole, all the best to your 4 year old π
These are great for men as well. Not just pregnant women.
Your Correct Alan.
What Is Listeria?
I’m glad you asked Zhou π Listeria it’s bacteria, It can cause illness as well. Kind of like flue, which you can get from food that contains listeria bacteria.
Good follow up for us mummies π
I got you Mummies for sure π
Love how you mentioned about washing fruits and vegetables.I really don’t trust manufactures anymore.
Thank you Amelia.
Can I eat philadelphia ?
Thank you for asking me this Rose. Yes that’s fine to eat whilst pregnant π
I see there is no mention of nuts anywhere.
You would be correct John! Unless there is a nut allergy in the family, there is no reason to panic.
BRAVO
CHANNEL? π Thank you MΓ‘rton
Awesome approach.
Your very kind Bianca Thank you π
Iβm already miserable being pregnant, what with the shortness of breath (baby on diaphragm), the regular need to pee (baby on bladder), kicks so hard they make me wince with pain, an aversion to foods that I used to love and eat with impunity, and nausea well into the third trimester. The last thing I want to do is make myself more miserable by avoiding things I can and want to eat, or wondering if soemthing I do during this pregnancy will cost my kid a couple of IQ points. So hereβs to hot baths, sushi, and nyquil when Iβm sick, and all the other things weβre told to avoid that make pregnancy bearable.
I pray for you.
I so strongly agree with this.
Happy we have something in common Dyna π
Thank you for your very interesting advise and information. I am so confused with what to and what not to eat.. I am 6mths pregnant. Thank you for sharing your information.
Your welcome! good luck with the rest of your pregnancy π
I am thankful for articles like this one. It has inspired everyone to discuss these topics that can effect ourselves and our babies.
Thank you Ela. I’m thankful for you reading, appreciating and being inspired by it. I can only encourage you to carry on the conversation, share it and get the message out there. We then can help each other.. Enjoy the rest of your day π
In Scandinavia, pregnant women are strongly adviced against eating any kind of fish, while in Japan you can’t eat too much during your pregnancy… – I don’t believe that the scandinavian oceans are more polluted (and therefore the fish are) than the waters surrounding Japan?!?
I was pregnant in Japan and stayed away from everything raw (sushi etc) and unpasturised cheeses and I followed the advice from back home saying don’t eat fish. Canned or fresh.
Also, I stayed away from tofu. Tofu contains something (sorry, I forgot the name) that foreign women shouldn’t eat during a pregnancy. But the japanese are all used to it so for them, it’s okay. Maybe they do actually have some unique kind of immunity… who knows!?
Wow thanks for sharing this Ariel… nice to hear how other places are operating π
So many people have been told different things on what not to eat. I’m 18 weeks pregnant with my second baby and I was only aware of certain fishes such as swordfish is a no no, limit you intake on fish because of mercury. No runny eggs, no pate or homemade mayonnaise and no soft cheeses. Also, when I was pregnant with my first, I was seeing someone about giving up smoking and they said for me not to eat liquorice(sp?!). I don’t know why you can’t but I avoided it then and I’m avoiding it now!
Thanks Aliza for sharing this.
Boy, I must have missed all this the last time I was pregnant 20 years ago.
Haha.
Very Good!
Thank you Safaaa π
This was a fantastic part 2 Karim π
Thank You Cassie, much appreciated π
Great Post.
Thank you Elaide π
I’ll be showing this one to the wife.
Please do π
This has helped me reduce my caffeine in take.
Glad this could do that for you Helen!
I will be paying closer attention to what fishes i eat form now on.
Ok cool. Save that fish chart picture if you have to Roshawna π
I’m gutted about being advised not to drink to much tea I love my tea that my main drink intake π
Haha you can do it!
This chart will come in handy
Indeed. That’s why I just had to put it up π