List of Foods to Avoid While Pregnant

Ask any mom with one or several kids, and you’ll hear the joys and tribulations that come with any pregnancy.

While the craving for food is sometimes beyond the control of the mom to be, this article will list some of the foods that should be avoided by a pregnant woman.

As a husband with three kids, I can assure you pregnancy food cravings is a difficult thing to control.

The list of dangerous foods a pregnant woman should avoid can be eaten in small quantities, but some precautionary steps are in order to preserve the health of the mom to be and baby in the womb.

Unless you’re properly informed about things pregnant women should avoid, certain foods are just too dangerous to consume during pregnancy.

What Not to Eat During Pregnancy

1 – Beware of Certain Fish and Seafood

When you’re looking for foods to avoid during pregnancy, pay careful attention to certain types of seafood and fish.

While fish can have much nutritional value, the ones containing mercury should be avoided at all cost.

Finding out which ones contain high amounts of mercury is a challenge in itself, but here is a good list for consideration:

Swordfish
Tilefish
King Mackerel
Shark

A pregnant lady should refrain from eating most types of seafood. Questionable contaminants are used during the manufacturing process that could harm your fetus.

Another dangerous seafood ingredient any pregnant woman should avoid is raw shellfish. Sushi, mussels, oysters and clams should be kept out of your dinner plate during pregnancy.

Fresh water fish variety might be beneficial to any pregnant woman’s nutritional needs. Just be careful, and ask the right questions as to the source of the seafood you’re eating.

2 – Stay Away From Undercooked or Raw Eggs

Eggs might have a delicious taste, but pay careful attention to the way it is prepared. One of the biggest concerns of eating raw or undercooked eggs is the risk of been infected with salmonella bacteria.

These deadly bacteria can cause diarrhea and vomiting, which can create many health challenges for a growing fetus. Cook your eggs until the yolks are firm and well done.

Try not to eat running yolk eggs. If you prefer to eat omelets, just make sure it cooked well enough to kill any bacteria that might do mom to be and growing fetus any damage.

3 – Be Mindful of the Dangers of Caffeinated Coffee, Chocolate, and Tea

One of the foods to avoid in pregnancy is drinking caffeinated drinks like tea and coffee. You should know that caffeine is a known diuretic and has been linked to low birth weight in many pregnancy health studies.

You should also know that caffeine is present in most energy drinks, and even some of your popular flu and cold medicines contain this ingredient.

The present argument revolves around the quantity of caffeine that can do damage to your growing fetus.

Any expectant mom consuming too much caffeine might be inviting fetal deaths, stillbirth or unintended abortion.

Truth be told, my wide did drink some coffee during pregnancy, but I was the guardian that made sure she did not overdo it.

Apart from that, she eventually came to dislike any drink containing caffeine since it increased her stool and urination visitation to the bathroom.

While moderate consumption might not do major damage to the fetus, do get your doctor’s permission before consuming any food products with caffeine in it.

4 – Eating Undercooked Poultry and Meat Should Be Avoided

If you’re an expectant mom and you love to consume meat, make sure it is well cooked to avoid the risk of ingesting Listeria bacteria.

This is especially true if you buy restaurant-prepared foods. The many chemicals and medications given to livestock can be transferred to the eater.

After watching many YouTube videos of how cows, goats and chickens are treated before been slaughtered made me lower my meat consumption by over 75%.

Be cautious before consuming any meat products. Try to cook your own food, and make sure it is well done before eating any type of poultry or red meat.

As a pregnant mom, you should stay away from eating your meat medium rare, or with blood running through it.

Remember, this is not about just you but the protection of your growing fetus.

5 – Stay Away From Unpasteurized Cheese

The list of foods to avoid while pregnant should include any type of unpasteurized cheese.

It has been established that soft cheeses like Brie cheese or feta cheese can pose an unneeded health risk to any pregnant woman.

You chances of getting foodborne illnesses like Listeriosis increases substantially when you eat any type of soft cheeses.

Even mild form of this illness can lead to stillbirth, miscarriage, or cause illness in your newborn baby.

While some might say cooking unpasteurized cheese might render them harmful, I urge you to consult your doctor before eating them.

Also, try to stay away from unpasteurized dairy products of any kind, including milk. Have your doctor on speed dial, and consult him or her before eating any type of unpasteurized dairy products.

6 – Wash Your Fruits and Vegetables

Thanks to the research conducted by my wife, you should be washing the fruits and vegetables you eat thoroughly.

The list of chemicals sprayed on your fresh vegetables and fruits are all known carcinogens.

It would even be more helpful if you can grow some of your own leafy vegetables and fruits.

Do not be fooled by the shiny fruit or vegetable, for most contain chemical by-products to keep them fresh past the growing season.

If you want to know about the list of fruits and vegetables commonly sprayed with toxic chemicals, read this article.

7 – Be Wary of Canned Foods

Another widely consumed food that should be avoided during pregnancy can be found in canned food products.

The chemicals used in canned foods to keep them fresh longer might do more harm than good to your fetus.

Another danger found in the lining of the can is the presence of Bisphenol A (BPA), which can play a disruptive role within your endocrine system.

That canned food you’re about to eat might have been manufactured many years ago, and the food contained within does not contain the good nutrients a pregnant mom need.

8 – Be Very Wary of Artificial Sweeteners

While sugar has some negative health effects, artificial sweeteners can be even more deadly.

Some of your popular artificial sweeteners like saccharin cannot be properly filtered by the placenta.

Even some of the so-called good artificial sweeteners should be approached with caution.

From my wife pregnancy experience, it is far better to use sugar rather than artificial sweeteners, just do so in moderation.

9 – Stay Away From Alcohol

No list of pregnancy foods to avoid will be complete without including the dangers of drinking any type of alcohol.

Alcohol is an intoxicant and should be avoided by any pregnant woman looking to give birth to a good healthy baby.

The ingredients found in spirits, wine or beer will rob your fetus proper oxygen and nutrients, which ultimately leads to many health problems for the newborn.

Even small alcohol consumption will affect negatively the intellectual capabilities of the fetus while also inhibiting proper physical growth.

According to this march of Dimes article, pregnancy and alcohol are a toxic mix, and the loser will be you and your newborn baby.

10 – The Dangers of Smoking is Well Established

Smoking of any kind is not conducive to the development of a healthy fetus. Do not be fooled that getting high sometimes will benefit your baby; it will not.

All smoking related products including marijuana contain deadly carcinogens that will do great harm to your baby’s mental faculties.

In Conclusion:

One of the food items I would encourage all pregnant women to consume is water. It is one of the best ingredients to use for glowing skin and keeping your weight in check as an expectant mom.

It is true that water can flush out all the toxins within your system. Since pregnancy will make any woman eat some questionable foods, drinking lots of water on a daily basis becomes more appropriate.

While looking at the foods to avoid when pregnant might be looked at as a nuisance and hindering your enjoyment of life, simply do it for the fate of your growing fetus.

If you want a healthy baby girl or boy, the pregnancy foods to avoid should be adhered to religiously.