Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy
Contents:
Food to Avoid in Pregnancy
Below find the Food Guide for pregnant women to sort out your do’s and don’t’s to stay healthy.
So, there are three types of food to be highlighted here:
- Food that is absolutely forbidden;
- Food to avoid (you may try some and from time to time);
- Food to consume with strict limitations.
Food Staff Absolutely Forbidden in Pregnancy
- Alcohol. That’s the staff that everyone understands one alcohol is “Don’t” Number 1. Alcohol may adversely affect the health of your baby and development of the fetus when it is too vulnerable. Time of conception, pregnancy and breast-feeding period are alcohol-free periods.
- Raw meat and fish. Circling disease has the potential to occur (disease caused by Listeria bacterium). It’s too dangerous diseases, even in the moderate form when it may result in miscarriage or delivery of the dead child.
- Raw eggs, raw milk and the staff based on them. These may be the source of salmonellosis. In pregnant (depending on the trimester), this disease may result in severe consequences both for the mother and the child. Toxic elements of salmonella may penetrate the placental barrier and development of the fetus. Moreover, the treatment means administration of medicine (but the pregnant should avoid medications during pregnancy).
- Mushrooms (wild). Champignons are allowed for they are cultivated in the neutral atmosphere. Wild mushrooms are like the sponge, and they absorb anything in the environment. Toxic agents are also absorbed by mushrooms. That is why, wild growing mushrooms ofeen cause to severe alimentary toxicosis. This applies to wild mushrooms cooked in any form (roasted, toasted, fried, boiled, canned or pickled).
- Ill-washed fruits/vegetables. Or food to eat when it is likely to be rotten. This also may lead to intoxication. This condition is hazardous for the mother and the fetus that it often results in de-watering. As a rule, the treatment includes antibiotics. To reduce the risk of intoxication, you’d better avoid unwashed apple, old pie or expired food.
Food to Preferably Avoid
- Fast food. The point is that fast food contain “empty” calories that only result in the weight gain to be of no health. Thus, fast food is allowed once a month, at most, providing one item is chosen not the whole meal/lunch.
- Effervescent beverage, or soda (any of them, including sweet and not sweet). All carbonated beverages contain carbon dioxide (СО2) to some extent which is responsible to make them effervescent. The airbubbles of the carbon dioxide release when they are in the stomach. This provokes belching, epigastric burning, abdominal swelling. This may result in indigestion (constipation or diarrhea). Moreover, effervescent beverages tempt the appetite. Soda is not wholesome at all: they have empty calories to be of no value for the pregnant. The formulation of these drinks is also under doubt and you’d better prefer for the natural mineral water without saturation. If there is thirst for some soda, you go and have a cup of it and not often than once a month.
- Flavouring. The common sense rules here. Mustard, pepper, horseradish, vinegar and many other should be used in small quantities. Excess of spice will cause heartburn and indigestion. Besides, the future child starts tasting what you eat since some particular period. The studies indicate that the meal with specific and bitter taste are not good for the fetus. Moreover, it does not like it at this stage. The pregnant woman should avoid using too much cinnamon during pregnancy, including bakery food, coffee with cinnamon, etc. It is uterotonic and may cause premature labor. Rosemary should be also avoided since it may provoke bleeding (it is often added to the baked meat and fish).
- Ready sauces like mayonnaise and ketchup. These sauces contain too much additives and readily raise thirst, whereas excess of water in the diet leads to edema. Roast meal additionally impacts the liver and kidneys while they actively function during pregnancy. When roasting food rich in carbohydrate (potato, for example), acrilamide (carcinogenic substance) forms in the food. If accumulated in body, this substance results in changes in process of development of cerebrum in newborns.
- Fatty meat. Animal fat degrades as a complex process and are less useful. Moreover, it also impacts the liver. Fatty meat provokes gain of the weight. You’d better opt for the lean meat (veal, beef, rabbit) and poultry (chicken, turkey). When eating meat, prefer the lean parts of it (undercut and flash of beef and breast of poultry).
- Blue cheese like Roquefort, Gorgonzola. This cheese may contain Listeria microorganisms, either, as above.
- Sift cheese like Brie, Camembert. This cheese may also have Listeria bacterium.
- Cheese from non-pasteurized milk like sheep cheese, goat cheese. Salmonella may be found in them.
- Strong (whole) meat and fish broth. Not recommended for the same reason as above: too much fat.
- Exotic food. May cause food-borne intoxication and allergic reaction (in the mother-to-be or fetus).
- Certain types of fish. This is responsible for the fact that some fish may contain excess of mercury which may lead severe intoxication. The list of this fish may include a shark, swordfish, marlin, tuna. Tuna is often included in the diet whereas other sorts of fish are rarely consumed. Tuna refers to the fatty sea fish to be good for health. So, when it comes to tuna, the experts recommend to include 200-250 gr of tuna per week in the diet. Alternatively, the tuna may be replaced by other fat fish like salmon, mackerel, sardine, etc.).
Food to Be Limited
Coffee
Not more than 200 mg caffeine per day is recommended (2 cups, at least). With the excess, the risk of miscarriage increases. Otherwise, the weight of the newborn will be below normal.
Black and Green Tea
Tea contains caffeine, either. Usage rate is 200 mg, the same as coffee. Depending on the strength, it is about 3 to 4 cups of black or green tea.
Cocoa
A cup of cocoa per day, at most, providing you are not sensitive. Cocoa also contains caffeine to some extent and may cause allergic response.
Chocolate
Some chocolate is good, about 25-30 g. Caffeine is one of chocolate’s ingredients and some individuals may be intolerant to it.
Important! Only 200 mg of caffeine is recommended per day, irrespective of what you drink – coffee, cocoa, black or green tea. It means, that you have to make your choice to have one drink per day, but not 2 cups of coffee, and then three cups of tea and a cup of cocoa. Not like that! The normal value is limited to 200 mg! It applies to chocolate, either.
- Salt. 10 to 12 g of salt per day is allowed in the first half of pregnancy, limited to 8 g in the second half and reduced to 5 to 6 g – for the last month of pregnancy.
- Cod liver. It has too much Vitamin A and thus, it is not for regular use. A small part of the cod liver per month is good.
- Fat fish. Fish fat is strongly recommended for the pregnant since it contains wholesome omega3 acids. Nevertheless, the consumption rate is limited, too. You may take 200 to 300 g per week. Some fish should be excluded from the diet as described above.
- Sea food. Only as finished food (boiled, baked). Unfortunately, the taste weakens during thermal processing.
- Salted, smoked, air-cured meal and food. Once a week (100 g). However, you may have some part of food processed as above only if you had no problems with your kidneys before you get pregnant. Otherwise, you have to refuse such food absolutely.
- Sweets.