What foods to avoid during pregnancy ? A question that would occur to every woman out there when pregnant. Pregnancy is one of the happiest and most exciting times in a woman’s life. For the first time, she is responsible not only for herself and her own health, but that of her unborn baby.
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. Most foods are safe; however, there are some foods that you should avoid during pregnancy. Here is a list of what foods to avoid during pregnancy:-
What foods to avoid during pregnancy –
- Raw meat: Avoid foods that might contain raw meat. Foods such as sashimi, seafood, rare or uncooked meat, or poultry carry a risk of contamination, as it carries coliform bacteria, toxoplasmosis, and salmonella.
- Liver: Excessive consumption of liver can lead to birth defects, its high content of Vitamin A being the culprit.
- Fish: Certain fishes like sharks, sword fishes, king mackerel and tile fish are supposedly high in mercury. Mercury can cause brain damage and delay the growth in a fetus. If your city has a local lake or stream, make sure that lake is free of pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls and then perhaps indulge in those fish.
- Raw shellfish: Shellfishes, oysters, clams and mussels may cause sea-borne illnesses if not cooked thoroughly. Even when cooked properly, they still carry a risk of algae-related infections. Hence these should be avoided during pregnancy.
- Raw Eggs: Raw eggs pose a threat to the pregnant women from a potential salmonella exposure. Hence eggs should be properly cooked / boiled and the shell should be removed with care before consumption.
- Soft Cheeses: Soft cheeses made out of pasteurized milk are safe for consumption. But soft cheese like feta, Mexican, Brie as well as Roquefort and Camembert along with Gorgonzola cheese which are generally imported may contain ” Listeria” (A bacteria which can increase the risk of miscarriage)
- Unpasteurized milk: A lot of women consider the freshly milked milk from a cow as the healthiest drink. But the same is not true in case of pregnancy. A lot of bacteria and viruses enter milk during the milking process. The bacterium Lesteria can be responsible for causing miscarriages. These bacteria are destroyed during pasturisation process and hence pasturised milk is safe for consumption of a pregnant women.
- Caffeine: A pregnant woman needs to maintain her hydration. She needs to drink a lot of fluids through out the day. Caffeine found in coffee and aerated drinks or canned beverages acts as a diuretic, which eliminates fluids. It also leads to calcium loss from the body. Researches have proved that large amount of caffeine can be detrimental for pregnant women. Caffeine was found to be associated with low birth weight, premature birth, and sometimes even miscarriages.
- Alcohol: Alcohol is a big NO NO for pregnant women. Taken regularly it can lead to serious developmental disorders.
- Aspartame: It’s good to watch what you eat during pregnancy but before you choose products with artificial sweeteners, don’t forget to read label and look for which artificial sweetener is used. Aspartame is associated with a lot of health risks and must be avoided during pregnancy.
- Smoked or refrigerated food: A pregnant lady should as long as possible include only freshly cooked food in her diet. Avoiding refrigerated food and smoked food will help her protect against listeria infections.
- Over-the-counter food: Food that is canned or packaged may cause salmonella contamination, and should be avoided.
- Unwashed vegetables and fruits: Vegetables and fruits should always be thoroughly washed before using them for cooking or raw consumption, otherwise they may become potential contaminants.
You may be interested in reading –
- what foods to eat in pregnancy
- Indian diet plan for pregnancy
- How to gain less weight in pregnancy
- Indian diet plan for gestational Diabetes
Now you know what foods to avoid during pregnancy. There are two faces to this coin 1 ] You may think that you would have to give up on your favorite fruit because now you are pregnant and 2] You may think now is the time to eat whatever you wish to. Well both facets are true in some part, but you need to know what foods to avoid during pregnancy, so that you can protect yourself and your tiny little baby from infections. Hope this list of what foods to avoid during pregnancy helps you and your little one. All the best.
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Hello Ma’am
I am 28 years old having weight 44 kg and height 5ft 2 and 13 weeks pregnant and my weight is not increasing.what diet should i follow to gain weight.and how much weight should I gain so that baby becomes healthy.
Hi ,
dont worry about weight gain . every person gains weight according to body type . its all about having a normal fetal growth , which will depict in your scans . you can follow the diet mentioned here – https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-diet-plan-for-pregnancy/ this is a healthy diet and has all nutrients needed for a good fetal growth . you can gain weight also with it . normally a women gains around 10 – 12 kgs weight in pregnancy . but some women gain less and still have healthy babies . so dont worry , just eat well .
Hi Payal
Am Nandhini Sathyanath am 4 weeks 5 days pregnant . I have slight pain in my stomach . Is it normal . I like to have pizza .can I have pizza . Will it affect me and my baby. Can I have Yogurt. Many of them say peanuts will not be safe in pregnancy is it true. Am nervous that miscarriage may be happen to me.
Hi Nandini ,
the stomach ache can be a result of any food that did not suit you , next time you eat anything watch for symptom and avoid that food . Pizza will not give you any healthy nutrient , but you can have a slice if you like . avoiding jun food during pregnancy is safe and good, hence i will advice you to go off all junk food for atleast the first 3 months to avoi any chance of miscarriage . peanut is not bad for all. it depends on suitability .
Hi ma’am
I am 7 months pregnant now. I am working also, travelling 4 hours a day. I have deficiency of iron(8.9), calcium, sugar (48) etc
Actually I got married last year only and gone through one miscarriage also of 5 weeks ( a month before I conceived)
Actually I got married in a baniya family no onion and garlic in food. It’s a love marriage also so no body is bothered about my health. What to do now. Iam hopeless
Hi Priyanka ,
firstly , dont build in so much negativity in you . This will also affect your baby . Its ok . if other wont help , help your self , tke your husband into confidence and pay attention to your health . surround yourself with people who love you , think positive , and love yourself. follow our pregnancy diet plan . this will help you in overcoming the deficiencies ,
Hi Jesima here ,
thanks for ur reply ..
January 27th I weighed 73 kg and by febraury 27th when I checked I was 79kgs that tensed me a lot .. 6kgs in a month and how much more can I gain till I delivery.. I’m 33 weeks n 4days ..will I be able to get back to my normal pre pregnancy weight after delivery ..
Hi Mam ,I’m 33weeks completed and I have gained almost 18 kgs by now ..my pre pregnancy weight was 61 and height is 160cm .. I am so worried tat I hav 6 more weeks to go.. will it lead to complication ..my bp is normal 130/80 . Please do help me .. I have swelling in my ankles and feet .. but my weight is too much fa now is what I feel..
Hi Jesima ,
swelling is common in pregnancy after 6 th month , so dont worry . yes the weight gain is more than the ideal weight. but dont worry , just eat nominaland healthy , avoid all high calorie food. it will pass dont worry . there is nothing you can do to control the weight from increasing .
Hi mam im 3 months pregnant i have i dought we eat in pacharisi in these month and another question wat types of foods andd fruits i can take bcss im overweight mam
Hi, I’m 10 weeks pregnant now. I have hypothyroidism and have been taking medicine for that for almost 8 years. The hormone levels have always been under control since then. What I want to know is, is peanut safe for me during pregnancy? Daily a small handful of peanuts or a piece of Chikki won’t hurt, right? Pls advice.
yes you can have it .
Hi Payal……
I am Sheetal and now i am 3rd month pregnant. I didnt hv any tests until now. I feels a lot constipation and morning sickness. Having a lot acidity also plz suggest something
please check this food plan , try to eat like wise — https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-diet-plan-for-pregnancy/
Hello mam,
I am 5months pregnant for the first time with 71 kg weight. When i conceived I was 69 kg. Didn’t vomit. All tests are ok but not feeling any kicks or movements in my abdomen. Only felt a gas like feeling in my abdomen. Is all this normal? Plz reply soon, am eagerly waiting…
Hi Ankita ,
yes its normal , dont worry dear . you will feel it soon .
Hi
I am 13 weeks pregnant and doctor suggested me to take bed rest..so that whatever I eat it is not digest easily and I have indigestion problem as I can not walk.so kindly help me for indigestion
Hi Krupa ,
In this case you should eat light food which is easy to digest . incorporate a little ginger in your food . chew fennel seeds and drink luke warm water . have a lot of veggies to get enough fiber /
Hi Payal,
I’m 35 years old and 21 weeks pregnant, and I just came to know last week that I have gestational diabetes. The sugar test result is 1.88 (as per Doc, it should be around 1.40).
Can you please give me a good a diet plan. I prefer Indian food diet plan vs American food.
Thank you, your help will be greatly appreciated.
check this – https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-diet-plan-for-gestational-diabetes/
Hi Payal,
My wife has entered into 9th month in the scan report it was mentioned that “Mild Asymmetrical IUGR” and doctor suggested to eat More Protein Rich food.
I am little worried , could you please suggest which type of food items are more in protein.
Thanks in Advance!
milk , curd , cheese , paneer , sprours , legumes , dals , eggs , meat and fish . you can include nuts like almonds and walnuts too
My wife is 1.5 month pregnent.what should be her diet plan during pregnent to get rid of abortion risks.what should she eat for rich hemoglobin?
check the articles here – https://www.dietburrp.com/category/pregnancy/
Thanks for providing information regarding foods to be avoided in pregnancy I want to know what is sashamii
wheere o ypou live ? ad which fish do ypu use for shashmi
Hi
I m 7 week pregnant. I feel sick in morning.even don’t want to get up from bed .I m a college lecturer.7.30 have to go for college.so feel very low energy all the day.please tell me a proper diet chart.
Neeru
https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-diet-plan-for-pregnancy/
Hi payal,
My wife is on 2 nd month in pregnancy. She have some questions regarding for diet. First of all doctors says haemoglobin is low and she is getting weight loss. In morning she feel weekness as well as she feel vomit will happen if she eat anything.
Also she is working as teacher she stand in classes around 4 to 5 hr daily. Should I teel her to leave her job initially time. And what diet she follow.
Hi ,
for heamoglobin you ask her to have apple and beetroot salad atleast 2-3 times a day . replace sugar with gurr . and im sure her doctor must have prescribed iron tablets to her . so ask her to take them every day religiously . for nausea and vomitting also doctor must have given some medicines right . these medicines will help her feel better and she will then be able to consume foods.
you can refer this diet plan – https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-diet-plan-for-pregnancy/
And please dont worry , she doesnt need to leave her job . she can continue with it if se is comfortable . just a little changes can be incorporated to reduce her stress.
My sister is 2 months pregnant..is she take daily dates with milk.we are scary because dates are heat..so is it good for her..
Hi Kavi ,
nothing happes . dont worry , 2 dates cannot cause so much heat that would trouble her. just make sure she eats healthy food
Is it OK to became a mother at the as of 19 as she is so weak. If yes than what is the diet plan
Hi Raju ,
obviously 19 is too young to carry a baby . she can refer this diet plan – https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-diet-plan-for-pregnancy/
Thanks for a great and easy to follow diet. I has 3 miscarriages and this is my 4th pregnancy and I am entering in 2nd month. I am really scared and also cautious. I am having nausea throughout the day and already having some tablets so can you suggest some home remedies for nausea? Also I am so hungry all the time even if I eat again I am hungry. What to eat to avoid this hunger without having weight gain and bloating. Also something to avoid constipation.
Hi Simran ,
im realy happy for you . be very careful dear . and dont get scared . all will be well. just eat healthy . for nausea , try mixing zeera with some salt and lemon and store this in a dabbi , take a little if you feel nauseatic . you can also have chuhada ka pachak , it is made with khajoors . are your blood sugars normal ? if you feel ou are eating enough but still hungry , try chewing on some saunf
Hello payal
I am 5months pregnant my age 23 but my weight is 42-43 nly i m not able to gain i m so dam worried i askd doctor but she is like its your 1st pregnancy n u r thin n tall thats y so no pro u wil gain but i feel my self i m not taking proper food i always prefer sleeping i m so lazy pleas help me out what should i do coze of moring sickness i getup late i eat very less pls tell me hw should i follow my diet n gain weight
Hi Vidhi ,
dont panic . you need to follow a good diet to be able to gain weight . Also your baby is at the max growth phase now, so good and nutritious food will help you in bith ways . please refer the pregnancy diet plan we have and follow the same . morning sickness if still persists , its ok , get up late if you feel better that way an the remaining day eat food as mentioned in the chart
Hii Payal,
Whether its safe to have Banana and eggs everyday after 1st trimester ?
yes it is . dont worry , you can have . If at all your bp remains high , or you r weight is more than the ideal or if you have gestational diabetes , these are if and buts involved.
Hi payal
I was pregnant 19 weeks 4 and half month but suddenly miscarriage in march 2016 happen I want to know why it’s happened? I mean what causes of miscarriage happen ….and now how long I have to wait to have baby again. …should I wait for 6 month or more….
Hi Bibi ,
I am really sorry , but the gyneac who examined you can answer your questions better , as there is no fixed reason of miscarriage . aphysical examination is required to be able to answer the questions you have in mind. Please see a doctor.
Hi mam I m pregnant I fell so tired in morning it is normal n I don’t mood to eat anything what I do
Hi Sonal ,
this is a general problem . all pregnant women feel tired most of the time , specially if the heamoglobin is low. so check that .. how many weeks pregnant are you ? eat what appeals rto you .. that way you will not lose interest in food .
hi mam
i am 14 weeks pregnant. i can not eat anything. my body was always pain …please suggest me
what has the doctor marked as reason behind the pain ?> do you have any calcium or vit d deficiency ?
Hello Ms Payal,
My wife is now on her 7 weeks of pregnancy, earlier she had a miscarriage. May i know if she can have green tea as she is very addictuve to it. Also, she has a tendency of acidity while consuminng milk and curd. Any alternative if you can suggest. She likes watermelon is it ok to give her. I might be asking lot of questiins, but if you can plz guide.
Regards,
Hi Suman ,
i understand your curiosity . sont worry dear i m here to help you with as many queries as you have . actually green tea is not advisable to have during pregnancy and lactation . If she is having decaffeinated green tea , then may be a cup in a day is ok but not more than that . acidity can be due to several reasons , like long gap between meals , not consuming enough food , or eating spicy food , excess green tea can also cause acidity . so its deifnitely not milk and curd , try to rule out the cause and work towards it , that will help as milk is now an important part of her schedule. watermelon can be given
Hi Payal,
I have a miscarriage in April… Again I am pregnant of 5 weeks and very worried this time…my height is 5.4 feet and weight is 62 kg.. Can I follow above mentioned diet chart? And what foods I have to avoid?
yes you need to follow this diet plan for a healthy pregnancy . dont worry and dont stress yourself . what has gone is gone . its time to take care of your baby .
here is a list of food items that you should avoid – https://www.dietburrp.com/what-foods-to-avoid-during-pregnancy/
Hii payal. 2 months pass nd thr is no periods.check by a pregnancy kit nd the result r positive.recently laprocacy were done nd the doctor says both tubes r blocked nd sugges fr ivf. Is it possible.wt can I do
Hi Anita ,
i am afraid i nt an expert with this . its better to take a second opinion from an expert in the field.
Hello Payal,
I am 1 month pregnant, is there any chance to have twins? or its not possible now? please suggest. (more queries on the way!!)
thanks in advance. 🙂
Hi Pooja ,
Oh .. looks like you really wanna have twin babies 😛 . is your ultra sound done ? there is nothing that you can do about it , its all on luck.
Hello mam
My periods are always irregular so I maintain healthy weight from past 3 years after marriage.Now when I missed period I thought my be it comes late but I checked home pregnant test positive and then dr also confirm I am 4 week pregnant but problem is my diet when earlier I don’t exercise or eat more than 1200 calories I easily gain weight with in a week 2 kegs. Now also my weight is 68 kg and 5.5 inch height and if I am taking 1700 calories or more I am gaining more and more weight I am worried in this way it will make my delivery complicated . Although I am taking dal daliya fruits is it ok if I eat within calories but take more sugar or carbohydrate may be that’s the reason of gaining weight. Just tell me how to maintain weight as well have a healthy baby I can’t walk more than 1.5 km as dr advice me in first try mister so how to maintain and I can’t starv my self bcs I want healthy baby and safe pregnancy
I am so sorry for too much info
Hi Neha ,
i can understand your anxiety . dont worry so much , or else stress will lead to more weight gain . eat normal food , like before , just eat a lot of nutrients . eat veggies like palak , carrot , have soups , fruits . avoid to much rice . and maida , sugar and salt. you can refwr the pregnancy diet plan we have and eat nominal quantity of those prescribed foods. walk for 15 mins 3 times a day. in slow pace.
Hello madam thank you so much for the above diet plans. I am 7 weeks pregnant now.. Start from the 1 st week I dint have any symptoms other than missing periods and mrn sickness.. I did scan at 4 weeks my doctor said everything s fine.. I am very much worried that my baby s fine or not if I don’t have any symptoms please suggest me
congratulations . ypou are one lucky girl …. i have so many clients and readers who face so much trouble with pregnancy . if you do not have any trouble , you are really fit and lucky . anxiety is the nature of women , and i can understand your fear , but dont worry just be happy and smile always .
hello doctor
my wife has two month pregnancy
she wants that eat the rice one
time a day
can I give him
basically my English is some week so please co opreate
Hi Bhanu ,
no problem dear . congratulations to you and your wife . yes you can give her rice every day . sometimes replace it with brown rice , or broken wheat daliya
Hi payal,im.10 weeks pregnant and have lot of nausea and vomiting..I lost 2 kg in first trimester..is it bad.please help..my current weight is 58kg
Hi Nimmi ,
how has your ultrasound report ? if there is any adverse effect of the weight loss, it will be obvious in your scan . but you dont need to worry , as this is a common problem amongst women who face severe nausea . has your doctor given you any medicine for nausea and vomitting ? please continue that along with your regular pregnancy vitamin pills. and it will all settle down. try to eat at regular interval and do not keep long gaps in between your meals. all wil be well soon . just eat well. use the above given chart for your reference.
Hii payal, plz tell me whether its safe to have watermelom anda musk melon in 5th month of pregnancy
yes it is safe
Hi.. i m in my 10th week..i dont feel like eating anythn..i never feel hungry..what should i do..plss advice..
Thnxx
is there any food that you like eating ? you can have more of that .. improper eating will lead to improper groth of fetus . eat well .. dont eat more , but eat a little of whatever possible at food time . have you tol your doctor about this issue ? she should help. in case if food intake does not improve , you can also take protein powder
Hi,
Am lakshmi.. now im in 14th week of my pregnancy..im still facing nausea start from my pregnancy,because of this am not able to include veggies in my diet and am a vegetarian. Can u please suggest me any alternatives.. many thanks in advance.
Hi Lakshmi , there is no alternatives to fruits and veggies. if you are still nauseatic , your doctor must ahave prescribed you with medicines for nausea and vomitting right ? please take them and keep eating veggies and fruit for a better pregnancy and a healthy baby
Hai paysl.I am parveen. my age was 31years old.Now I got 2nd pregnency after 1 week 4th month will come.I have hypothyroidism since 15 years.before 8months I got abortion in 2nd month ending. Now my wt 85.ht 4.9feet.eggs milk is best r not.Pls give diet
yes you can have milk and eggs
Hi.. I am entering my 5th month pregnancy.. Is it safe to eat Maggi during pregnancy?
Hi Pam ,
Its better to avoid anything processed. after maggi undergoing so many controversies, i would rather ask you to avoid it . to be on a safer side . and if you really crave for it , having it once would not affect you so much .
Hi I am 2months pregnant. And this is my first baby. I wanted to know can I have ginger or garlic .if not then when I can have. And I am having digestion problem. Please tell me what is right time to start my daily routine as I can’t wake up early morning.
Hi Sandy ,
you can have ginger and garlic even now . yes some elderly ask to avoid ginger due to heat issues , but you can always have it in limitations. just dont over do it. i did nt understand the second part of your question . do you mean you have mornin sickness ?
hi payal I m 10 week pregnant.i want a gora baby.plz guied me
🙂
i am not very sure about it , but you can try having kesar milk and 1 rasgulla every morning.
Hi payal,
I am almost 10 weeks pregnant, since the beginning of my 7th week I lost my taste..nothing taste good, even water left me bad taste..morning sickness is worse. After my morning breakfast I vommit everything.. I am not even eating balanced diet..but try to force my self to eat. I am taking multivitamin to get the energy. Please give me some advice with the diet
hi kalpana,
i know how it feels when food and even water doesnt taste good. but dont worry this is just a phase and will pass over quickly. you need to eat foods that provide good amount of folic acid. if you see the above mentioned diet plan , you will see in the facts coloumn how each mentioned food is helping you. eat dry carbs in the morning to lower the acid and get ri of morning sickness. and eat folic acid rich food/
hy payal,
liked ur suggestions too much…now can u help me out with one suggestion about eating “green pappya and pineapples ” ? are they safe to eat in pregnancy ? if not, why ?
looking forward to ur response .. 🙂
Hi Sabiha ,
Alot of people believe in avoiding papaya and pineapple in pregnancy as they might cause abortion . scientifically , these foods to contain some objectionable hormone like enzymes. These foods are risky in the forst 3 months of pregnancy . but can be consumed in a little quantity after that.
Papaya (ripe) is specially helpful in pregnancy to get rid of the most common constipation issue that maximum ladies face.
thank you dear….
Hi,
Your Blog is really very useful.Your response to each queries shows your dedication to your profession.I am 3 1/2 months pregnant ,my height is 165cm and my weight is 65kg.I have hypothyroidism and both my parents are diabetic so my endocrinologist has told me to take low sugar and low carbohydrate diet.Also she says I’m overweight.I am on medication for hypothyroidism.Can you suggest me a diet plan.
THANK YOU
Tiby
Hi Tiby,
sure we can help you . please see this page to get a personalized diet plan to suit your requirements – https://www.dietburrp.com/diet-services/
Hi,
Found your blog extremely interesting anduseful. I would be grateful if you could help me with a low GI diet that I can follow. I have just found out that I am pregnant with baby #2 and at the first appointment itself the doc advised not to put on weight for the first and second trimester. The reason being I am already overweight and have mild PCOS.
Your help will be greatly appreciated since I have recently moved to Singapore and do not know where to turn to for diet advice.
Thank you very much in advance.
Hi Sure , we would help . please see this page – https://www.dietburrp.com/diet-services/
Thanku so much for the diet plan….it vl be very helpful 🙂
I am 5 months pregnant & just weighing 55.6kg. I am concerned about my weight gain. This is my 2nd pregnancy. In my previous pregnancy everything was completely fine, not sure why this weight issue this time. I consulted my gynaec she gave me a supplementary drink to help me & my baby gain weight but still not much effective. I am worried my weight gain issue would effect my baby’s growth. 🙁
Please advise.
are you eating properly ? you can follow the diet plan mentioned above