Diet during pregnancy is not about eating twice of what you ate earlier, it’s about adding a few extra calories and essential nutrients to nourish your baby. While you strive to eat healthy foods, especially during pregnancy you end up receiving a lot of advice about what to eat or avoid. Undoubtedly, this could lead to confusion, for a first-time expectant mother. It is necessary to be fully aware of what to eat and what not to eat during pregnancy as it has an impact on your baby’s health. So here is a list of foods that should be avoided during pregnancy:
To eliminate any harmful bacteria, thoroughly wash all raw fruits and vegetables. Avoid raw sprouts of any kind including alfalfa, clover, mung beans etc. as they may contain disease-causing bacteria.
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Caffeine is a mood stimulant and a diuretic. Because of which, it increases your blood pressure and heart rate, both of which are not recommended during pregnancy. Caffeine also increases the frequency of urination. This causes a reduction in your body fluid levels and can lead to dehydration. It is advisable to limit your caffeine intake to less than 200mg a day = 250ml of tea or coffee.
Mothers who drink alcohol have a higher risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. Too much alcohol during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol syndrome, which can cause facial deformities, heart defects and mental retardation. Even moderate drinking can impact your baby’s brain development. So alcohol should be avoided completely during pregnancy.
Seafood can be a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids which can promote your baby’s brain and eye development. However, some fish and shellfish contain potentially dangerous levels of mercury which can harm your baby’s developing nervous system. The bigger and older the fish, the more mercury it’s likely to contain. Small Fish can be consumed twice or thrice a week in moderate quantities, such as 60 grams in a meal.
Avoid, Swordfish, Shark, King mackerel and tilefish completely.
To Know More: Foods to be included/excluded during pregnancy
During pregnancy you’re at risk of bacterial food poisoning so to avoid foodborne illness:
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Many low-fat dairy products such as skimmed milk, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese can be a healthy part of your diet. Anything containing unpasteurized milk, however, is a no-no. These products could lead to foodborne illness. Avoid soft cheeses, such as Brie, feta and blue cheese and also avoid unpasteurized juice.
Follow this list to avoid any complications related to consuming a kind of food during pregnancy.
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