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:-
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.
Excessive consumption of liver can lead to birth defects, its high content of Vitamin A being the culprit.
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.
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 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 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)
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.
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 is a big NO NO for pregnant women. Taken regularly it can lead to serious developmental disorders.
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.
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.
Food that is canned or packaged may cause salmonella contamination, and should be avoided.
Vegetables and fruits should always be thoroughly washed before using them for cooking or raw consumption, otherwise they may become potential contaminants.
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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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This post was Last Updated on March 8, 2020
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I m five weeks pregnant.. Can I eat dates???
1-2 dates till you complete your 1st trimester ..
Hello mem ,I am manju,I m suffering pcod that's why I m NT getting pregnant.how I become pregnant??plz suggest me ....
https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-diet-plan-for-conceiving/ check this
Hello mam, i m fahmida from bangladesh. I have diabetes and thyroid also for that reason i was experienced with an miscarriage problem. Now I'm trying to become pregnant again. My diabetes nd thyroid also in normal range bt weight is 67kg hight 5'1". I do my exercise regularly and taking apple cider vinegar and Oolong tea with lemon in the morning before breakfast. So is it ok to take vinegar while im trying to be become pregnant.? Thank you
yes there is no issue , but if this vinegar causes any discomfort / acidity , its best avoided.
Hello mam, I’m 29 years old . I’m 5’2 and weigh 180 pounds. I had a miscarriage about 10 months ago and now I’m 4 weeks pregnant. I’m really worried about my weight. I don’t how much should I eat or what should I eat. I’m a home maker so I don’t have much activities in a day. Please guide me. Thank you.
Hi Neetu ,
dont worry so much dear , every thing will go okay ... check this diet plan for help - https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-diet-to-gain-less-weight-during-pregnancy/
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