Hey mama! Pregnant and wondering about what foods you should avoid during pregnancy? You’re in the right place. I know there may be a lot of confusion as to what foods pregnant women can eat and should avoid the minute they find out they’re pregnant. You are probably getting advice from family and friends to not eat this or that. Am I right?
The reality of things is that when you are pregnant, your body becomes more vulnerable to things and certain type of foods.Which means, it’s important to know what foods to avoid during early pregnancy and to stop eating right now for the sake of you and your baby.
I had two pregnancies and with both I learned of what foods I shouldn’t eat while pregnant. I’m here to share with you a detailed list of foods to avoid during your pregnancy. Look at it like a pregnancy food guide. So, you can better understand and make the right choices during your pregnancy.
Why Should I be aware of what I eat during my pregnancy?
It’s super important for you to know and be aware of the foods that you eat during pregnancy. Because, many of the foods I’ll be mentioning below contains bacteria, listeria and can be extremely harmful to you and your unborn baby!
Check out this cute pregnancy cookbook! It has over 50+ recipes and gives you a guide of what to eat during each trimester! No more worrying about what you shouldn’t eat while pregnant. This cookbook has you covered with amazingly delicious food!
Why is it important to have a well balanced diet during pregnancy?
“Eating well-balanced meals is important at all times, but it is even more essential when you are pregnant. There are essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that your developing baby needs.” (source)
14 foods to avoid and stop eating during your pregnancy
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1.Raw meats
Undercooked and raw meats/poultry should definitely be avoided while pregnant. You may run the risk of getting contaminated with bacteria and even salmonella!
On your next date night ask for a well done steak and avoid the rare, medium rare or medium well options.
2.Sushi/raw seafood
Are you a sushi lover like me? Girl! I know your pain but is so worth it to give it up for 9 months. To ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby! Consuming raw seafood gives you the risk of getting harmful parasites and bacteria!
Want to enjoy sushi while pregnant? Get the fully cooked fish options like shrimp tempura rolls or the vegetarian options!
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3. Deli meats
Boy did I love eating my deli sandwiches at home. So good! But I knew that I had to give that up immediately when I found out I was pregnant. So do you mama! Eating deli meats is a big no-no for pregnant mamas, why? Well because it is known that deli meats are contaminated with listeria.
Listeria is a known prime suspect of miscarriages! ” Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby, which could lead to infection or blood poisoning and may be life-threatening.” (source)
4.Raw eggs
Bye bye sunny side up eggs in the mornings. Eating raw eggs runs you the risk of getting salmonella. This bacteria may cause intrauterine infections which can be severe enough to cause a miscarriage.
List of foods that may contain raw eggs:
- Ceasar dressing
- Cookie dough
- Hollandaise sauce
- eggnog
- some ice creams
5.Unpasteurized cheeses, milk and juice
Give up on your favorite cheese dip, juice or milk that are not pasteurized. As this may cause listeria bacteria, which is very dangerous to your unborn baby.
What does it mean to be pasteurized?
I had the same question when I was pregnant. So, here’s a simple answer. When a food is pasteurized it means it went through a process of which kills harmful bacteria from the food. Great news!
List of soft cheese to avoid during pregnancy:
- brie
- blue cheese
- feta cheese
- gorgonzola
- queso fresco
- queso blanco
- camembert
6. Fish high in mercury
“If you regularly eat fish high in mercury, the substance can accumulate in your bloodstream over time. Too much mercury in your bloodstream could damage your baby’s developing brain and nervous system” (source)
Some of the fish that are high in mercury and should not be eaten every single day are:
- Tuna (albacore tuna can)
- swordfish
- shark
- king mackerel
- tilefish
7. Unwashed produce
Make sure to wash all of your produce very well using this veggie washer! It does the job by eliminating wax, soil, agricultural chemicals, and handling residue found on both standard and organic fruits and vegetables! Try this veggie washer and spinner to make it easier to dry your vegetables out!
Vegetables are obvious safe to eat and very well recommended but if you do not wash it properly it may be contaminated with the soil where the vegetables were grown in. So let’s be safe than sorry!
8. Raw shellfish
Raw shellfish includes oysters, clams and mussels. Consuming these types of shellfish can be dangerous to you and your baby since they are raw and can have algae related infections. Just do not consume this at all!
Read this next:
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9. Alcohol
There is no reason as to why you should be consuming alcohol while pregnant. So if you are mama, stop now! Alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy at all cause. Consuming alcohol can lead to series birth defects.
10. Caffeine
Don’t worry, you can definitely enjoy a cup of coffee a day (let’s scream yes! to that!) but in moderation of course! It is recommend to drink 200 milligrams of caffeine a day, which is about 12 ounce cup! Enjoy mama 🙂
11. Energy drinks
Energy drinks are not recommended during your pregnancy because they contain a high amount of caffeine in them. Other ingredients that it may contain can also be harmful.
12. Raw sprouts
Avoid eating raw sprouts like alfalfa, clover, and radish. Raw sprouts can be harmful because they are grown in warm and humid conditions where can be contaminated with harmful bacteria like E.coli!
Read this next:
6 vital ways to combat morning sickness
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13. Packaged salads
Honestly is best if you make your own salad at home because you know what you are putting in them. If you buy packaged salads you run the risk of eating unwashed produce and that is not good for you and your unborn baby. Also, avoid eating anything from a salad bar since these may contain raw salad dressings and uncooked foods.
14. food with preservatives, artificial coloring or additives
It is best to try to avoid or consume less foods that contain preservatives and additives because it’s simply not healthy for you. But of course we cannot change the fact that many if not most of the supermarket foods are made with preservatives and additives. Make sure you are eating more fresh vegetables and fruits.
There you have it mama, a full list of foods to avoid during pregnancy. I hope you found it helpful and are now better informed of what not to eat during your pregnancy. This pregnancy cookbook has a lot of recipes with superfoods that’s perfect for every trimester. It’s a great cookbook for every pregnant mom.
New mom? How nice would it be if your baby slept through the night at 2 month old? If you had time for self care? Slept more and rocked your first year of motherhood? Good news!
