Food
To Avoid During Pregnancy
by Beverley Brooke
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.
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.
©
Beverley Brooke
Article
by Beverley Brooke- Visit http://www.pregnancy-weight-loss.com
to ensure a healthy pregnancy and for more on food to avoid during
pregnancy