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What you eat during pregnancy will impact your health as well as your baby’s health. If you follow a healthy diet, you will have a healthy pregnancy, and your baby will develop properly. In order to meet your nutritional requirements, you can eat healthy foods like fruits, veggies, and whole grains. But you can’t just eat any fruit or veggies – there are certain fruits and veggies that are not safe for consumption during pregnancy. Pregnancy is one of the most vital and sensitive periods in a woman’s life. Therefore, it’s very important for pregnant women to eat a healthy diet. Expecting mothers have to pay close attention to what they eat and make sure to avoid harmful foods and beverages.
In this article, we will tell you about some foods/fruits that you should avoid eating during pregnancy.
Limit Intake of Caffeine During Pregnancy
Pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to 200 mg per day, which is about 2–3 cups of coffee. High caffeine intake during pregnancy can limit fetal growth and cause low birth weight. Caffeine is absorbed very quickly and passes easily into the placenta and fetus. Because unborn babies and their placentas don’t have the main enzyme needed to metabolize caffeine, high levels can build up.
Undercooked or Raw Fish During Pregnancy
Raw fish and shellfish can be contaminated with bacteria and parasites. Some of these can cause adverse health effects and harm both the mother and unborn baby. Pregnant women are therefore advised to avoid raw fish and shellfish. This includes many sushi dishes.
Avoid Raw Eggs During Pregnancy
Raw eggs may be contaminated with Salmonella, which can lead to sickness and an increased risk of premature birth or stillbirth. Pasteurized eggs can be used instead. Most commercial products that contain raw eggs are made with pasteurized eggs and are safe to consume. However, you should always read the label to make sure. Pregnant women should always cook eggs thoroughly or use pasteurized eggs. Foods that commonly contain raw eggs include:
- Lightly scrambled eggs
- Poached eggs
- Hollandaise sauce
- Homemade mayonnaise
- Salad dressings
- Homemade ice cream
- Cake icings
Avoid Undercooked, Raw and Processed Meat During Pregnancy
Raw or undercooked meat may contain harmful bacteria. As a general rule, meat should be cooked all the way through. Bacteria may threaten the health of your unborn baby, possibly leading to stillbirth or severe neurological illnesses, including intellectual disability, blindness and epilepsy. While most bacteria are found on the surface of whole pieces of meat, other bacteria may linger inside the muscle fibers.
During pregnancy, avoid unpasteurized milk, cheese, and fruit juice
Raw milk, unpasteurized cheese, and soft-ripened cheesesTrusted Source can contain an array of harmful bacteria, including Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, and Campylobacter.
The same goes for unpasteurized juice, which is also prone to bacterial contamination. These infections can all have life-threatening consequencesTrusted Source for an unborn baby.
Bacteria can arise spontaneously or as a result of contamination during the collection or storage process. Pasteurization is the most efficient approach to destroy hazardous germs while maintaining the nutritional content of the items.
Eat only pasteurized milk, cheese, and fruit juice to reduce the chance of illness.
During Pregnancy, Avoid Unwashed, Packed Salad
Salads that have been pre-prepared and washed are acceptable.
If you store it in the fridge and eat it before the expiration date, you’ll be ok. Make sure any packaged salads you buy don’t contain any other items you should avoid.
It is recommended not to eat salad that has been left out at room temperature for an extended period of time since bacteria can quickly proliferate.
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