21 Foods To Avoid While Pregnant

As moms-to-be, it’s of great importance to find out what foods to avoid while pregnant. While most women opt to know how to stay in shape during pregnancy, you must rather focus on how to ensure a healthy pregnancy. So to guide you, below’s a list of foods pregnant women can’t eat and must avoid.

What are the Foods to Avoid While Pregnant and Why?

1. Unpasteurized Milk Cheese

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First on our list of foods to avoid while pregnant is unpasteurized milk cheeses. These include kinds such as Brie, queso fresco, feta, and the like. While cheese is a delightful treat to one’s appetite, the raw, unpasteurized ones may contain listeria or E. coli.

Tip: Whenever you feel like eating cheese, pick the hard ones like the Swiss and cheddar. Better yet, check the labels and make sure you’re going after the pasteurized cheeses.

2. Raw Oysters & Clams

If you’re a shellfish lover and you’ve been craving for it, then make sure to cook your shellfish well. Pregnant women are advised to avoid raw types of shellfish such as oysters and clams for it may contain Vibrio bacteria.

Tip: To satisfy your cravings, be sure to cook your oysters or clams to 145° F. Also, learn to control yourself by eating a moderate amount of shellfish at a time.

3. Sushi

Just like shellfish, raw fish is one of the foods to avoid while pregnant for it may contain parasites and bacteria. And this includes sushi. If you’re into Japanese cuisine, then it’s time to pick another taste that’ll be good for you and your unborn child.

4. Cookie Dough

Licking the spoon before baking surely sounds fun and tasty. However, for pregnant women, cookie doughs and cake batters are not recommended for snacking. These raw mixtures might have salmonella, exposing possible harm to your unborn child.

5. Processed Meats

Hotdogs, hams, sausages, bacon, and canned meats– these are just some of the processed meats you, moms-to-be must be careful with. These types of food may contain listeria, so better avoid these as much as you can.

6. Undercooked Beans & Radish

Sprouts such as beans and radish must be cooked thoroughly. Undercooked foods like these may carry E. coli or even salmonella that may harm your health.

7. Ground Poultry

Raw or undercooked poultry may contain bacteria like salmonella or campylobacter. To ensure a healthy pregnancy, cook your poultry and the stuffing to 165° F separately.

8. Bigger & Older Fish

Tuna, swordfish, shark, and tilefish are some of the types of fish that contain a high level of mercury. Linked with these are brain damage and developmental delays that might occur during pregnancy. So as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) advised, better stay away from this type of fish while you’re pregnant.

9. Coffee

Although studies show that a moderate caffeine intake is acceptable to pregnant women, others have linked this to miscarriages. So to reduce the risk of miscarriages, refrain from drinking coffee in your first trimester.

10. Unpasteurized Milk

Same with the unpasteurized milk cheese, be sure to opt for the milk made that is pasteurized. Otherwise, you may risk yourself with an infection from the bacterium listeria.

11. Unpasteurized Juice

The juices that are unpasteurized, including the freshly squeezed ones, may contain E. coli. To ensure safety, boil the juices for at least a minute before drinking these.

12. Store-Bought Salads

Salads with raw meats and fish are foods to avoid while pregnant too. The store-bought ones may have listeria within you’d like to avoid. So, the best thing to do is to make your own salads with proper sanitation in your kitchen.

13. Unwashed Veggies

Before making your homemade salad, be sure to wash the vegetables thoroughly. Doing this will help you avoid a possible exposure to toxoplasmosis.

14. Mayonnaise

Some homemade types of mayonnaise are made from raw eggs. And these eggs may contain salmonella that can lead to food poisoning. Avoid these types while you’re carrying your little one inside you and you’ll be safe.

15. Beef & Fish Jerky

Smoked beef and fish that are refrigerated are another set of foods to avoid while pregnant. These types are often known as the jerky. The deal with these is it may have been contaminated with listeria, harming your baby’s health and yours.

16. Pâté

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Smooth paste spreads made from liver or even vegetables may also contain listeria. These must be avoided by moms-to-be like you. However, studies show the canned versions of these are much safer than the refrigerated ones.

17. Foods with MSG

Regardless of the label saying it’s approved by the government or the like, avoid eating foods with MSG. Reports have been filed about how pregnant women felt dizziness and nausea because of these types of food. Refrain from patronizing these at all cost.

18. Homemade Ice Cream

As mentioned about the dangers behind the raw eggs, homemade ice creams are another type to avoid. These types of ice creams are usually made from raw and unpasteurized eggs which may contain salmonella. If you’re craving for ice cream, then be sure to check the label if the eggs and milk are pasteurized. before eating it.

19. Energy Drinks

Just like coffee, energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine too. As pregnant women, you must duly avoid these types of drinks to reduce the risk of miscarriage and low birth weight. While these are refreshing to the taste and body, you can always squeeze a juice and boil it before drinking.

20. Spicy Foods

While studies show eating spicy foods are safe for pregnant women, some may find discomfort in these foods. Also, since heartburns are common to pregnant women, spicy foods may actually trigger this pain. So, what you can do is to refrain from eating this while you’re pregnant.

21. Alcohol

Last on our list is alcohol. Regardless of the type and of the amount, alcohol isn’t proven safe for pregnant women. Exposure to this may interfere with your baby’s development. Therefore, stay as far as you can from any alcoholic beverage or even foods with alcohol content.

To know more about what foods to avoid while you’re pregnant, here’s a video from Health Benefits’ channel:

Upon going through our list of foods to avoid while pregnant, may you give the proper nutrition for you and your unborn child. Always have a balanced diet and eat in moderation as you get excited about your bundle of joy’s delivery.

Did we miss anything on our list of foods to avoid while pregnant? Let us know in the comments section below!

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