You have so looked forward to getting pregnant but there’s one thing you never anticipated – the several do’s and don’ts of meal consumption during pregnancy. For this reason, before you stock up that fridge or drive down to that nearest fast food shop, you should know what not to eat. This is especially for the health of your unborn child because what you eat is what the baby takes in too.
So here’s a simple list of some foods to avoid during pregnancy for first-time mums-to-be:
Say no to sushi
It is true that women crave unimaginable meals during pregnancy but you need to avoid eating sushi. Just like undercooked meat, eating raw fish has the potential to introduce harmful bacteria to your unborn child. All fish meals must be thoroughly cooked.
Avoid fish with high mercury
Eating fish during pregnancy is a good thing for the unborn child. This is because they contain Omega-3 fatty acid which is known to aid in foetus brain development. However, several fish like Spanish mackerel, King mackerel, Tilefish, Swordfish, Walleye, Marlin, Shark and Chilean bass should be avoided. This is because they contain high amounts of mercury which is harmful to developing foetus.
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Do not consume unpasteurised foods and drinks
Pasteurisation rids the products of microorganisms without altering the nutritional value of such products. Soft cheese contains unpasteurised milk as well and eating this food could expose you and your unborn baby to the risk of listeria infection.
Stay away from artificial sweeteners
A good number of artificial sweeteners are not safe for consumption during pregnancy. Some of these sweeteners include Stevia and Saccharin. If there’s a need for sweetener, a better option is honey.
With the above list of foods to avoid during pregnancy, it might seem like you don’t have that much options on what to eat or drink but there’s actually a lot of healthy and delicious foods that are good for you and your developing baby like eggs, salmon, beans, sweet potatoes, walnuts and more!
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