Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a blessing and a gift is given to us by nature. This brings us a lot of joy as well as responsibility because life is being bought up inside us. It is one of the precious times for both the partner and this is the time which will be cherished throughout their life. Pregnancy brings a lot of responsibility because life is being brought up inside the womb and it becomes mandatory for every woman to take care of themselves. Maintaining both mental and physical health is very important for every pregnant woman. As we all know that eating a nutritional diet is important but there is a certain food that should be avoided too to maintain the good health of both mother as well as the baby. Through this article, we are going through light on the foods that every mother should avoid during their pregnancy.

Introduction

As a pregnant woman you are eating for two and you crave different things. There are times when you want to eat a specific food item that you never even liked. Sometimes the expecting mother wants to eat everything without knowing that it’s good or bad for them.

We discuss a lot about eating fresh and healthy food during this time but there are many food items that should be eliminated from the diet. This could harm both the child and the mother and can also stop the growth of the fetus.

Here Are Some Food Items And Habits That Should Be Avoided

Street Food

As an expecting mother you crave things like sweet, spicy, and sour food and you want to eat street food including chat, dosha, pani puri, etc. This can increase the risk of developing an infection or food poisoning. Sometimes junk food is harmful due to poor water and food preparation hygiene. It’s good to avoid street foods as well as junk food. Instead trying making them at home with healthy vegetables and other ingredients that will be safer.

Fatty Foods

Avoid trans-fats in your diet which includes fast foods and processed foods like pizza, cookies, frosting, etc. According to the American Heart Association avoiding foods like this limits the risk of developing heart disease and also increasing the growth of the fetus. Instead of this include flaxseed, nuts, olives which are a good source of fats and also provides nutrition.

Licorice

Also known as mulethi in Hindi should be avoided during pregnancy as it contains glycyrrhizin which can affect the development of fetal growth. It allows the stress hormone to enter into the baby through the placenta and affecting its IQ level. It is proven the children with ADHD are the side effects caused by Licorice. It can also cause high blood pressure in expecting mothers so it’s best to avoid Licorice.

Excessive Intake Of Vitamin

You are told to take nutrients like iron, calcium, and folic acid but be careful while choosing for dosage. It is better to avoid water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. As water-soluble vitamins can cause irritation in digestive tracts whereas fat-soluble vitamins can cause the fat to deposit into the liver and body. This can cause harm in the development of the baby so it’s better to eat natural sources of Vitamins.

Foods Rich In Nitrate

Avoid food items like bacon, sausages, hot dogs, and salami which are rich in nitrates. Nitrate helps in enhancing the food color but when consumed turns into nitrosamines increasing the risk of developing abnormalities in the baby.

Artificial Sweeteners

These include saccharin and aspartame which are not safe during pregnancy. These can lead to a genetic disorder called phenylketonuria and other birth defects. You should include natural sugars but in moderate quantities.

Herbal Teas

There are certain herbal teas like fenugreek, Echinacea, horsetail, black walnut, licorice root, etc. These herbs are unsafe and difficult to ingest so try to avoid any kind of herbal tea during the time of pregnancy. You can drink a hot cup of chai every day.

Juices That Are Unpasteurized

The juices that come packaged are harmful and they contain salmonella and E.coli bacteria. It’s better to prepare juice at home with freshly washed fruits and a better way to provide nutrition.

Caffeine

Drinks that are high in caffeine can increase the risk of developing miscarriage along with the low weight of the baby after birth. It is better to avoid coffee, energy drinks, alcohol, and diet soda during this time. Researchers have found that caffeine can lead to premature birth.

Uncooked Eggs

Expecting mother should avoid taking undercooked, raw, or even soft-boiled eggs because they contain salmonella bacteria which can lead to food poisoning. It can cause severe vomiting, pain in the abdomen, diarrhea, etc which makes the immunity weaker and putting a negative impact on the baby. Try to eat boiled eggs or overcooked omelet which is more beneficial.

Ready Made Meats

Also known as Deli meats like hot dogs, salami, sandwich meat should be avoided as they contain bacteria called listeria. These bacteria can cause serious complications to the placenta and even fetal death. If you are eating them try to cook them properly and they should be steaming hot.

Soft Cheese

Try to avoid cheese like feta, blue cheese, panela, gorgonzola, brie, etc. Most of these soft cheeses are unpasteurized and contain listeria causing harm to the fetus. Instead, try to eat hard cheese like cheddar or swiss cheese and these are safe to eat.

Raw Sprouts

Avoid eating sprouts like mung bean, radish, sunflower, soybean, onion, and broccoli as they are raw. They are high in salmonella, listeria, and E.coli bacteria which can cause miscarriage, infection in the fetus, and even premature birth. Instead, try to consume cooked sprouts.

Salads Made In Restaurant

Do not eat ready-made salad like Caesar salad dressing or salads that contain seafood. These salads can also contain mayonnaise which is made from raw eggs and they are high in sugar as well as salt. The raw leafy vegetables contain listeria and salmonella which can result in food poisoning. Try to make salads at home which is much safer and make sure to wash them properly.

Canned Foods

These include soda, pasta, soup, tuna, etc as the lining of the can contains Bisphenol A is a toxic substance. This can harm the endocrine activity of the fetus and cause other fertility problems, liver ailments. It is also responsible for developing heart disease in pregnant women. Sometimes these foods are very old and are full of harmful bacteria. It is important to avoid canned tuna as they have high levels of mercury which is poisonous for both the mother and the baby. Think before choosing any kind of canned food.

Raw Milk

Unpasteurized or raw milk is unsafe to use during pregnancy. Raw milk contains content that can give rise to foodborne diseases. Unpasteurized milk contains bacteria like listeria, E.coli, cryptosporidium, and salmonella that are very dangerous for the fetus. Try to boil the milk at a high temperature as it will kill the microbes present in it. If you choose dairy-free products like rice milk, soya milk, and almond milk which contains nutrition and won’t cause any harm.

Raw Shellfish

It is better not to consume raw shellfish like clams, mussels, and oysters. These shellfish can give rise to seafood-borne illness and it may also contain a harmful virus, toxins, and bacteria.

Mercury Rich Fish

Fish like swordfish, shark, king mackerel, etc have high levels of mercury in them and must not be consumed. It is one of the elements found in lakes, oceans, and streams. When consumed by humans it is converted into methylmercury which is clearly a neurotoxin causing damage to the brain and delayed development in the fetus.

Food Rich In Sugar

Avoid eating ice cream, cakes, candies that are high in sugar content. This can cause pregnancy discomfort leading to vomiting, nausea, and heartburn along with this it can contribute to gestational diabetes. It can also increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome in the fetus.

Conclusion

It is concluded that being pregnant is a tough job but every mother has to be strong. They all need to maintain good health and eat well to make their baby healthy because they are the only source through which the fetus will get all the nutrition. It is also important that there are certain foods and habits that can cause harm to the baby and this should be avoided. Above is all the given information about the food habits that they should not include in their diet.