12 Foods And Beverages That Pregnant Women Should Avoid

Pregnancy can be a challenging time for women with all the emotional and physical changes their bodies go through. Diet is of the utmost importance in the times of pregnancy. When you’re pregnant, it’s essential to avoid foods and beverages that may put you and your baby at risk. Although most foods and beverages are perfectly safe to enjoy, some, like raw fish, unpasteurized dairy, alcohol, and high mercury fish, should be avoided. Here In this article will were going to tell you about some food and beverages that pregnant women should avoid.

# Mercury Fish

Mercury is a highly toxic element. It has no known safe level of exposureTrusted Source and is most commonly found in polluted water. Since it’s found in polluted seas, large marine fish can accumulate high amounts of mercury. Therefore, it’s best to avoid high mercury fish while pregnant and breastfeeding. Eg. of high mercury fish are shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tuna and marlin. But there are some fish which are low in mercury that are anchovies, cod, flounder, haddock, salman and tilapia.Fatty fish like salmon and anchovies are especially good options, as they are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for your baby.

# Raw eggs

Raw eggs can be contaminated with the Salmonella bacteria. Symptoms of salmonella infections include fever, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. However, in rare cases, the infection may cause cramps in the uterus, leading to premature birth or stillbirth. Most commercial products that contain raw eggs are made with pasteurized eggs and are safe to consume. To be on the safe side, make sure to always cook eggs thoroughly or use pasteurized eggs.

# Organ Meat

Organ meat is a great source of a variety of nutrients. It include iron, vitamin B12, vitamin A, zinc, selenium, and copper though these all are good for your baby but eating too much organ meat is not recommended during pregnancy. Consuming too much preformed vitamin A, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy, can lead to congenital malformations and miscarriage.

# Caffeine

Pregnant people are generally advised to limit their caffeine intake to less than 200 milligrams (mg) per day. Caffeine is absorbed very quickly and passes easily into the placenta. Because babies and their placentas don’t 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. So keep an eye on your daily cup of joe or soda to make sure baby doesn’t have exposure to too much caffeine.

# Raw sprouts

Your healthy salad choice may not be free from rogue ingredients, either. Raw sprouts, including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts, may be contaminated with Salmonella. The humid environment required by seeds to start sprouting is ideal for these kinds of bacteria, and they’re almost impossible to wash off. For this reason, you’re advised to avoid raw sprouts altogether. However, sprouts are safe to consume after they have been cooked, according to the FDATrusted Source.

# Pineapple

Although pineapple is a super healthy fruit, it should be kept away from pregnant women. It comprises a rich amount of bromelain that may cause the softening of the cervix that may induce early labour. Moreover, eating a lot of pineapple can cause stomach problems like diarrhoea, resulting in dehydration.

# Grapes

Grapes have heat producing properties, which can affect both the mother and the baby. It is also the presence of a compound known as resveratrol, which is known to elevate hormonal imbalance during this period.

# Papaya

Papaya is one of the most common fruits that are forbidden in this list. Papaya is said to promote early labour and in worst case scenario, miscarriages. Papayas, usually the unripe and semi-ripe ones are believed to be rich in latex that is known to trigger uterine contractions.

# Bitter Melon

Bitter melon is said to be an irritant to the uterus, which can lead to premature birth or miscarriage. In fact, they contain highly toxic components like quinine, saponic glycosides and morodicine. When absorbed in the body, they can cause nausea, rash, diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

# Alcohol

As soon as you find out you’re pregnant, stop drinking any kind of alcoholic beverages.Any amount of alcohol you drink reaches your baby in the womb through your bloodstream and the placenta.Alcohol can affect your baby’s development and growth in the womb as well as your baby’s health at birth.

# Smoking

Smoking is a big “NO” for pregnant women.Nicotine, carbon monoxide and other chemicals in cigarette smoke can affect the development of your baby’s lungs and cause various health complications during birth, and physically and mentally later in their life.

# Junk Food

While you may have weird food cravings during pregnancy, it is important to stick to a healthy diet. The food you eat has a direct influence on your unborn baby’s health.A healthy and well-balanced diet supports normal birth weight, improves fetal brain development, and lowers the risk of many birth defects.