10 foods you need to avoid during pregnancy

2023 Author: Benjamin Dyson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-21 01:37

During pregnancy, special care must be taken with food, as different foods can harm the development of the baby and the he alth of the pregnant woman.

In addition to toxic substances such as alcohol and excess sugar, foods such as raw fish, poorly washed fruits and vegetables should be avoided, as they can be contaminated with microorganisms that affect the baby. See how to eat he althy during pregnancy.

1. Raw fish and rare meat

Raw fish, such as sushi, and undercooked meats should be avoided because they can be contaminated with listeria bacteria, which can cause miscarriage and premature birth, or with diseases such as cysticercosis, which can affect the nervous system and impair brain function.

2. Raw eggs

Raw and undercooked eggs should be avoided as they can contain salmonella bacteria, which can cause severe diarrhea, vomiting, fever and death.

For this reason, it is also important to avoid consuming homemade desserts, sauces and seasonings that use raw eggs in the recipe, such as homemade mayonnaise and Ceasar sauce.

3. Unpasteurized milk

Unpasteurized milk, such as milk coming directly from farms or farms, should be avoided because it contains a high number of bacteria that cause intestinal infections, diarrhea and malaise.

Thus, you should always consume pasteurized milk or UHT milk, which undergo treatments at high temperatures to eliminate microorganisms that may be present in the food.

4. Soft and unpasteurized cheeses

Soft cheeses such as brie, camembert, gorgonzola and danish blue, contain a lot of water and can have the listeria bacteria, which can cause headaches, tremors, convulsions and meningitis, also affecting the baby's nervous system and, in more severe cases, leading to death.

5. Unwashed fruits and vegetables

Ill washed fruits and vegetables are sources of contamination of the disease toxoplasmosis, which can cause abortion, premature birth, malformations and death of the baby.

Thus, all vegetables should be washed well before consumption, and raw vegetables should be avoided outside the home. See the symptoms and how to prevent toxoplasmosis.

6. Canned tuna

Fish such as tuna, mackerel, swordfish, dogfish and grouper should be avoided during pregnancy because they contain high levels of mercury, a metal that can impair the proper development of the fetal nervous system.

For this reason, fish such as sardines, trout, herring, hake, mackerel and farmed tuna should be preferred, as they are safer for the he alth of the pregnant woman and the baby.

7. Coffee

Some studies show that too much caffeine can cause miscarriages, so it is recommended that pregnant women consume a maximum of 300 mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to 2 or 3 cups of coffee.

8. Foods with caffeine

To avoid excess caffeine, foods containing this substance should also be avoided by pregnant women, such as cola, green tea, black tea and mate tea. See a complete list of teas to avoid during pregnancy.

9. Sweeteners

Although most sweeteners are safe for he alth, pregnant women should avoid artificial sweeteners such as cyclamate and aspartame, preferring natural sweeteners based on sucralose or stevia, which are safe for the baby even in high amounts.

10. Alcoholic beverages

Alcoholic beverages should be avoided because alcohol accumulates in the fetus' body, which does not have the ability to eliminate this substance from the body, which can cause premature birth, growth retardation and cardiac malformations.

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