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12 worst foods for pregnancy

Find out which foods you may want to avoid to keep yourself and your baby safe and healthy. The first eight are foods that are considered unsafe during pregnancy. The last four are foods you may want to limit primarily for nutritional reasons, like high-sodium snacks and non-dairy creamer.

And for positive encouragement, check out our 12 best foods for pregnancy and tips on eating well, too.

1. High-mercury seafood

Here are the four to avoid: swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advise pregnant women, those who may become pregnant, and those who are breastfeeding to abstain from these fish completely due to their high levels of mercury. Mercury can impair a baby's developing brain and nervous system.

Other experts are more cautious, offering a longer list of fish to avoid. And the FDA cautions that pregnant women should eat no more than 6 ounces a week of canned "solid white" or albacore tuna due to mercury risks.

However, there are plenty of types of seafood with low levels of mercury that should be included in your pregnancy diet. The fatty acids in seafood (DHA and EPA, both forms of omega-3) play a key role in baby brain development.

In fact, the FDA and EPA recommend that pregnant women eat up to 12 ounces of low-mercury fish and shellfish a week. Find out more about which fish – and how much of it – is safe during pregnancy.

2. Unpasteurized (raw) milk and juices

While there are some people who tout the benefits of raw milk and raw juices, there are serious health risks to drinking these during pregnancy. The main concern is listeriosis, a bacterial infection that can be very dangerous to your baby. You're especially at risk during pregnancy because your immune system is suppressed.

The bacterium Listeria monocytogenes can lurk in unpasteurized milk and dairy products, unpasteurized juice, and other foods, and it can continue to grow, even in the refrigerator. That's why it's best to avoid these beverages completely.

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3. Refrigerated meats and deli salads (unless steaming hot)

Listeria contamination is also a threat with refrigerated deli meats like turkey, ham, bologna, roast beef, and hot dogs. These aren't safe unless you heat them to steaming hot (165 degrees Fahrenheit) before you eat them.

Same goes for refrigerated smoked seafood, meat spreads, and deli salads such as coleslaw, potato salad, ham salad, and seafood salad. Unless you don't mind eating these steaming hot, you'll want to avoid them. (Smoked seafood, like lox and whitefish, is fine if it's in a casserole or quiche that has been cooked to 165 degrees F. )

Canned, shelf-stable meats and seafood are safe to eat, but these products contain high amounts of sodium, so they're not the best nutritional choice during pregnancy.

4. Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, and eggs

The main risks in eating raw and undercooked food are the bacteria Salmonella and the parasite Toxoplasma, both of which can infect your unborn baby and cause serious health problems.

To eliminate the risk, use a food thermometer and cook beef, veal, pork, and lamb to 145 degrees F. Make sure all ground meats reach 160 degrees F, and poultry reaches 165 degrees F. Cook eggs until the yolks are firm, and make sure dishes containing eggs – such as frittatas, stratas, quiche, and bread pudding – reach 160 degrees F.

Avoid sauces made with raw eggs, which can include homemade Caesar salad dressing, béarnaise and hollandaise sauces, and mayonnaise. If you're making food that calls for raw eggs and won't be cooked, like a sauce or spread, use a pasteurized egg product. And if you're making cookie dough or cake batter with raw eggs, resist the urge to lick the spoon or eat the uncooked goods.

When dining out, order your meat well done, your eggs and seafood fully cooked through, and avoid the sauces and dressings listed above.

5. Raw sprouts and unwashed raw produce

Raw sprouts seem like a health "do," but during pregnancy they're definitely a "don't." Before the sprouts are even grown, bacteria can get into the sprout seeds through cracks in the shell. And since sprouts generally aren't cooked before eating, there's no way to kill the bacteria. So avoid raw alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts, which can be found in some sandwiches and salads.

Toxoplasma is also a concern in unwashed fruits and vegetables. Make sure to rinse produce thoroughly under running water before using it. And avoid eating bruised fruit or vegetables, as bacteria can thrive in areas where the produce has been damaged.

6. Unpasteurized cheese

Like raw milk, unpasteurized soft cheese carries the risk of Listeria contamination. Almost all cheese sold in the United States – including soft cheese – is made with pasteurized milk and is therefore considered safe to eat.

But some artisanal or imported cheeses may not be pasteurized, so check the label on feta, Brie, Camembert, fresh mozzarella, blue cheese like gorgonzola, Limburger, queso blanco, and queso fresco.

As long as the label says that the cheese is pasteurized, it's safe to eat. In restaurants, ask if the cheeses listed are pasteurized. If they don't know, it's smart to skip it.

7. Energy drinks and excessive coffee

Up to 200 milligrams a day of caffeine is considered safe during pregnancy. That amounts to about 12 ounces of drip coffee, which sounds like a lot until you consider your consumption throughout the day. The stimulant can lurk in many other drinks and some foods, pushing you over the maximum. For guidance, see a list of how much caffeine is in common foods and beverages.

Skip the energy drinks during pregnancy. While some contain less caffeine overall than a cup of coffee, they've been linked to increased blood pressure and abnormal heart rhythms.

And avoid drinks with "natural" energy boosters such as guarana, ginseng, yerba mate, and green tea extract, all of which are stimulants that have not been proven safe to use during pregnancy.

8. Unripe papaya

Unripe (green) papaya contains a latex substance that can trigger uterine contractions. The latex found in unripe papaya acts like the hormones oxytocin and prostaglandin, which are involved in the start of labor. So it's wise to avoid unripe papaya, which is often found on menus in Thai restaurants.

9. Foods with trans fats

Even though the health dangers of trans fats have been known since the early 1990s, they weren't called out on nutrition labels until 2006. Many consumers assume they're not being used anymore, but some products still include this unhealthy fat. (Learn more about "good" and "bad" fats in your pregnancy diet. )

Trans fat is a concern because it not only increases LDL cholesterol, it also lowers levels of heart-protective HDL cholesterol. And studies have linked trans fats to higher rates of endometriosis and infertility.

So which products may still contain trans fats?

Fried foods: While most fast food chains switched to oils that are not hydrogenated, some still use partially hydrogenated (and trans fat producing) oils to fry foods like hash browns, mozzarella sticks, and French fries. While you can always ask what type of oil your local restaurant uses, it's smart to limit your intake of high-calorie (and often high-sodium) fried foods anyway.

Margarine, frosting, and non-dairy creamer: Several companies have eliminated trans fat from their soft spreads, but some include it, so check the nutrition facts. Also, since companies technically don't need to list trans fat if the product contains less than 1 g per serving, it's possible that your creamer or margarine may still contain some even if it's not listed. Be sure to scan the ingredient list for "partially hydrogenated" oils.

Biscuit and pancake mixes: Companies include it to give the product a light, fluffy texture. Again, be sure to check the nutrition facts to make sure you see a big fat zero listed for trans fat, and check the ingredient list for "partially hydrogenated" oils.

10. Foods with sneaky sugars

Cookies, cakes, candy, and ice cream obviously have lots of sugar, but the sweet stuff can also lurk in some unlikely places. Not only is added sugar contributing to the obesity and diabetes epidemics, it doesn't provide any nutritional benefits. And if you're predisposed to gestational diabetes (which is on the rise), your body may not be able to produce enough insulin to handle all the extra sugar in your blood.

Americans consume a whopping 22 teaspoons (or 88 grams) of added sugar each day. We're not talking about naturally occurring sugars in fruit and dairy products, but the sugars and syrups that are added to food products to make them taste better.

Here's where added sugar might be hiding:

Bread and rolls: Look out for molasses, high fructose corn syrup, and other sweeteners in these bakery items. While the total grams of sugar are probably no more than 5 g, wouldn't you rather spend your sugars on something like a bowl of ice cream?

Frozen meals: Frozen pizzas, diet meals, and especially Asian-inspired convenience meals can pack up to 20 g of sugar per serving. If a meal has more than 10 g of sugar per serving, skip it.

Salad dressing: There's nothing wrong with dressing up your salad to make it tastier, but take a good look at what you're pouring on top of your healthy greens. Some bottled dressings rack up 8 g of sugar per 2 tablespoons. The fat-free varieties can be the worst because they replace the fat with sugar or corn syrup to make the dressing taste good.

Snacks (crackers, popcorn, snack bars, etc.): Even products that don't taste particularly sweet may be packed with sugar. Cereal bars can be major offenders, especially if they have a jam-like filling. And graham crackers can contain a gram of sugar per cracker.

Cereal: You know you should avoid frosted kids' cereals and the like, but even some grown-up, whole-grain cereals have 14 to 16 g of sugar per serving, which is about half of what you're supposed to get in a day! Always look at the ingredient list and if the first ingredient listed is sugar, put the box back on the shelf.

11. Soda and sweetened beverages

It's not just the caffeine that puts cola and other sodas on the no-no list for pregnancy, it's also the high level of processed sugar in each can. A 12-ounce can of cola contains 27 g of added sugar. That's nearly 7 teaspoons. And other bottled beverages aren't much better. Sweetened iced tea, juice drinks, lemonade – they all have between 20 and 35 g of sugar per bottle, and don't provide many nutritional perks.

So quench your thirst with water, milk, and pure (100-percent) fruit or vegetable juice. And if water is getting boring, make your own "spa" water by adding a few (washed) sprigs of rosemary and some cucumber and lemon slices to a pitcher of water – very refreshing!

12. High-sodium foods

While we often crave salty foods when we're expecting (especially during the first trimester), sodium is not a pregnant woman's friend. Pregnancy already makes you prone to swelling and water retention, and too much sodium only makes those conditions worse. In addition to avoiding processed and fast food, look out for these sodium culprits and keep sodium to 2,300 mg per day.

Frozen meals: Salt is a natural preservative, so these meals are usually packed with sodium. Some of them reach nearly 1,000 mg – yikes! There are definitely healthier options out there these days, so be sure to scan the package and look for meals with less than 500 mg sodium.

Shelf-stable lunches and snacks: Usually made up of crackers, processed meat, cheese, and a fruit cup, these products are loaded with sodium (over 800 mg), nitrates, and sugar. You're much better off bringing your own snacks or sandwiches when you're at work or on the go.

Soup: Canned soup is a known offender, often containing 900 mg of sodium per serving (even more per can). But also watch out for soups at national chain restaurants, which can have just as much. And packaged ramen noodles have tons of salt and fat.

Bread and rolls: Bread doesn't usually taste salty, but salt is almost always added to provide flavor. One roll can top more than 400 mg of sodium, and cheese rolls can have over 800 mg.

Bottom line: Stick to fresh, unprocessed foods as much as possible and you'll go a long way toward cutting down on excess sugar, sodium, and other bad stuff. For ideas, see the 10 best foods for pregnancy.

Frances Largeman-Roth is a nationally recognized nutrition expert and bestselling author. She has written Feed the Belly: The Pregnant Mom's Healthy Eating Guide and Eating in Color: Delicious, Healthy Recipes for You and Your Family

What not to eat during pregnancy TEA.

Pregnancy is a wonderful time when a woman's body needs energy and strength more than ever, as it goes through internal changes. For the easiest passage of this period, the diet of the expectant mother should be complete, varied and balanced - this is the key to a woman's health and the proper development of the fetus.

First trimester

In early pregnancy, the diet can not be changed much, but some foods and dishes should be excluded:

• fast food;
  
• smoked products;
  
• fatty and spicy foods;
  
• canned food;
  
• exotic products;
  
• carbonated drinks;
  
• products containing allergens;
  
• raw eggs;
  
• raw and half-cooked meat;
  
• liver;
  
• sushi;
  
• soft cheeses; nine0010
• unpasteurized milk and juices.
  

Fish (raw and high in mercury), seafood

You can not eat makaira, swordfish, mackerel, tiled and white tuna. Raw fish may contain bacteria and parasites. Smoked fish should also be avoided.

Unpasteurized soft cheeses

Feta and camembert may contain listeria bacteria as they are made from raw milk. These bacteria, once in the body of the fetus, can cause severe developmental disorders and even miscarriage. If you want to consume these cheeses, then look for a product that says pasteurized on the label (mozzarella, ricotta, cream cheeses, halloumi, processed cheeses). nine0003

Unpasteurized milk and juices

Unpasteurized milk and freshly squeezed juices can be contaminated with E. coli, listeria, salmonella bacteria, which are pathogenic and undesirable for pregnant women.

Raw eggs

You should not eat dishes containing raw protein or yolk, or that have not undergone sufficient heat treatment. For example, soft-boiled eggs, sauces, eggnog. During pregnancy, it is better to eat hard-boiled or pasteurized eggs. nine0003

Raw and semi-raw meat and poultry

Such meat may also be contaminated with Listeria. Pates and meat spreads should also be temporarily forgotten. Before eating meat dishes, make sure that the meat has been properly cooked.

Fast food and fried foods

This kind of food was not included in the list of strictly prohibited, but it is worth remembering that it can harm the gastrointestinal tract and cause an imbalance in the body, which can negatively affect the general condition of the expectant mother. If during the period of bearing a child, you really want to eat something harmful, try to find a healthy alternative. For example, fry food in a small amount of oil, or better bake. The main thing to remember is that a balanced diet and a healthy diet are the foundation of your health, and therefore the health of your baby. nine0003

Caffeine

Too much caffeine can lead to a number of problems:
Sleep disturbance, as this substance increases the reflex excitability of the nervous system.
Anemia - the phenol contained in caffeine does not allow the absorption of iron in the blood, which can adversely affect the body of the mother and child.
Heartburn – coffee is a hydrochloric acid stimulant, so even the weakest drink can increase heartburn.

High sugar foods

A large amount of sugar during pregnancy can lead to active and rapid weight gain, which will put stress on the spine and joints. Calcium will also begin to leach out - this can cause a loss of vitamin B1 and problems with teeth and liver. If there were prerequisites, then excessive consumption of sweets can cause diabetes, digestive disorders in pregnant women.

Late pregnancy

In the last months of pregnancy, the fetus grows rapidly. Therefore, the diet of a pregnant woman should be rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements. To help the body cope with stress, pregnant women should adhere to the following recommendations:

1. Reduce the amount of spicy, smoked and salty foods.
   
2. Reduce the amount of salt. It retains fluid that causes swelling and stresses the kidneys.
   
3. Exclude semi-prepared and canned foods. They are low in nutrients and contain harmful additives. nine0010

To make pregnancy an exciting journey, a woman needs to eat healthy and wholesome food. It is necessary to increase the amount of whole grains, meat, poultry and fish. Be sure to include vegetables, fruits, protein and dairy products in your diet. It is useful to consume olive oil and avocado, they are rich in mono- and polyunsaturated fats. During pregnancy, the body needs more calcium, for this reason, you need to increase the intake of milk and dairy products. Almonds, cauliflower and white cabbage can also be an additional source of calcium. nine0003

Also, do not forget about the water balance. Water helps prevent dehydration and reduces the risk of fetal harm and premature contractions. It is recommended to drink two liters a day.

8 foods that pregnant women should not eat

June 15, 2019 Likbez Health

Even scrambled eggs and healthy fish oil can do harm.

If you are pregnant, you should reduce the amount of coffee and avoid alcohol altogether. Everyone knows this.

But there are far more insidious foods. At first glance, they seem innocent and even useful. But in fact, they can harm mom or an unborn baby more than a couple of cups of double espresso three times a day.

Here is a list of popular foods to avoid during pregnancy. Or at least think twice before you eat.

1. Raw eggs

As well as products containing them: eggnog, homemade mayonnaise, raw dough, poached eggs, fried eggs with raw yolk, tiramisu. nine0003

What is the danger

One word is enough: salmonellosis. This acute intestinal infection is fortunately not fatal, but is accompanied by severe diarrhea and vomiting that can cause dehydration. But this is already bad: the normal blood supply to the fetus and the level of amniotic fluid in the uterus depend on the amount of moisture. Water deficiency can result in violations in the development of the unborn baby, as well as an increased risk of miscarriage.

What to do

If you have no strength to refuse eggs, make sure that they are thoroughly washed and heat-treated. Hard boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, baked goods are safe. nine0003

2. Raw meat

As well as rare fried steaks (“with blood”), raw smoked and cured sausages, poorly fried minced meat, for example, in fast food.

What is the danger

Raw meat may be contaminated with parasites. For example, Toxoplasma. They are able to penetrate the placental barrier and cause serious disturbances in the development of the unborn baby.

What to do

It's easy to get rid of parasites in meat - cook it properly. If we are talking about dried or smoked products, freezing them for four days will help reduce the risk. nine0003

3. Raw fish

Be especially careful with river and wild ocean fish, shellfish (oysters, mussels), dried and smoked fish of all kinds and sushi.

What is the danger

The range of troubles that you can get by eating a roll or dried perch is wide:

• like meat, fish can be infected with parasites;
• in the pulp there are also pathogenic bacteria - for example, listeria or botulinum bacteria, which cause deadly botulism (for mothers as well); nine0011
• river fish can be caught in chemically polluted reservoirs - and all toxic substances will go to both mother and baby;
• oceanic fish accumulate mercury. Shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish are especially dangerous in this regard. Mercury poisoning affects the health of both the mother and the unborn baby - this element can cause brain damage and developmental delays.

What to do

Eat only properly cooked fish. You can take a chance with canned food: just keep an eye on the expiration date and in no case use the product from swollen cans. nine0003

4. Liver

Liver pate and sausage, cod liver oil.

What is the danger

Too much vitamin A. Its excess can lead to the development of birth defects in the fetus.

What to do

Do not abuse liver products. Especially if for some reason you are taking vitamin A supplements. Yes, and in no case should you prescribe vitamins and supplements for yourself - only your doctor can do this.

5. Soft cheeses

In the area of ​​special attention:

• soft cheeses with white mold - brie and camembert;
• blue cheeses - gorgonzola, roquefort, danish blue.

What is the danger

Due to the high humidity and mold, such cheeses are an ideal environment for the development of all kinds of bacteria, including those dangerous to the fetus. The same listeria, once in the body of a future baby, can provoke severe developmental disorders, miscarriage or stillbirth.

What to do

The ideal option is to switch to hard cheese (cheddar, parmesan, stilton and others): it is safe. Soft cheeses can also be consumed, but only if they are made from pasteurized milk. These are mozzarella, feta, ricotta, cream cheeses, halloumi, processed cheeses.

6. Unpasteurized milk

As well as yogurt and ice cream prepared from it.

What is the danger

All in the same high risk of bacteria content. Unpasteurized milk is a product that has not undergone heat treatment. Therefore, the same listeria, which is deadly for the unborn child, can be found in it. nine0003

What to do

Try to drink only pasteurized milk. If for some reason only raw is available, be sure to boil it before drinking.

7. Caffeinated products

In addition to coffee, this includes green tea, chocolate, cola, energy drinks, and some cold and flu medications.

What is the danger

An excess of this substance can cause the baby to have a low birth weight - and this increases the risk of health problems later. Sometimes the abuse of caffeine products provokes a miscarriage. nine0003

What to do

You don't have to cut out caffeine completely, you just need to go no more than 200 mg per day. In order not to cross the line, be guided by approximate values:

• 1 cup of instant coffee - 100 mg of caffeine;
• 1 cup espresso - 140 mg;
• 1 cup tea - 75 mg;
• 1 can cola (330 ml) - 40 mg;
• 1 Energy Drink (250 ml) - 80 mg;
• 50 g dark chocolate - up to 25 mg;
• 50 g milk chocolate - up to 10 mg.

Once again, we emphasize: these are approximate figures. But they can be used for calculation. For example, if you drank a cup of espresso in the morning and a can of cola in the middle of the day, you received almost 200 mg of caffeine.

8. Poorly washed vegetables and fruits

As well as berries that grow close to the soil - the same strawberries or currants on the lower branches of the bush.

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