Congrats you're pregnant! There are so many do's and dont's when it comes to pregnancy. Finding out foods to avoid now that you're pregnant is important.
You have your health and now your cute little beans health to worry about.
One of the major things you can help with your babies development is proper nutrition!
This post is all about things that you should avoid eating or drinking while you are pregnant.
If you want to know more about your nutrition during pregnancy read this post! There is even a list of healthy snack ideas!
Foods To Avoid Now That You're Pregnant
Raw and Undercooked Meat
Raw or uncooked meat could have Toxoplasma, E. Coli, Listeria, or Salmonella.
So just stick to a well done steak, and make sure any kind of meat you eat is thoroughly cooked.
This includes sushi, unless it's cooked!
Soft Cheese
Soft cheeses could contain Listeria because it's made usually out of unpasteurized milk.
If it says on the label that it's made with pasteurized milk then it's safe to eat.
- Brie
- Camembert
- Roquefort
- Feta
- Gorgonzola
- Queso Fresco
- Queso Blanco
Raw Shellfish
Raw shellfish could cause an infection in your body. So make sure to cook your shellfish before you eat it!
Smoked Fish
Smoked seafood that is refrigerated and labeled as lox, nova style, kippered, or jerky avoid it.
It could contain Listeria, but if it's cooked in a casserole or another dish it is safe to eat.
High Mercury Fish
High levels of mercury are linked to brain damage and developmental delays.
Shark, swordfish, King mackerel, tile fish, bigeye tuna, marlin, and orange roughly have high amounts of mercury so its safe to avoid these dishes while you are pregnant.
There are a lot of cooked fish you can eat during pregnancy though such as:
- Catfish
- Clams
- Cod
- Pollock
- Salmon
- Scallops
- Shrimp
- Tilapia
- Trout
- Canned tuna
Enjoy eating fish because the Omega 3 in the fish is beneficial in the babies brain development!
Pâté
I have never heard of Pâté till I was pregnant.
Pâté is a paste mix of seasoned ground seafood, poultry, meat, or veggies. It's usually a combo of different base ingredients.
Pâté may contain Listeria which is harmful for the baby. So it's safe to steer clear if you usually eat Pâté.
Soft cheeses are:
Unpasteurized Dairy Products
Unpasteurized milk and dairy products may contain Listeria.
Most milk and dairy products you get from the store is pasteurized. But just double check the labels to be on the safe side.
Raw Eggs
Raw eggs could expose you to Salmonella.
Homemade Caesar dressing, mayo, ice cream, custards, and hollandaise contain raw eggs.
Commercially made ice cream, dressings, mayo, hollandaise, and eggnog are made with pasteurized eggs so it's safe to eat. As long as these items are not homemade.
I was a little bummed about the raw egg thing because I love to munch on cookie dough on occasion.
So if you are a lover of raw cookie dough like I am this is a great recipe for eggless cookie dough!
Unwashed Fruits and Veggies
You should always wash your fruits and veggies, but it's more important now. You could expose your baby to Toxoplasmosis.
Plus you don't know who has touched your fruits and veggies and where their hands have been.
Potluck Food
I'm not saying you can't enjoy a good potluck, but be careful with the potluck food!
You shouldn't eat anything that has been sitting out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.
If it's hotter than 90° outside don't eat the food after 1 hour.
This is to avoid bacteria that will grow on the food and could be harmful to your baby.
Raw Sprouts
You should avoid all sprouts including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts.
The sprouts could have bacteria growing in the cracked shells such as E. Coli, Salmonella, and Listeria.
If you like eating sprouts, just make sure that they are thoroughly cooked.
Alcohol
Any amount of alcohol is harmful to the development of your growing baby.
Once you find out you're pregnant avoid alcohol all together.
Caffeine
There are a lot of conflicting things out there about caffeine and pregnancy.
I know many women who can't get through pregnancy without coffee at all or any caffeine for that matter.
According to the American Pregnancy Association. It's safe to drink 200 MG of caffeine a day, which is equivalent to one 12 oz cup of coffee.
Just be cautious and careful about what you put into your body for your baby!
If you have any crazy things that people have told you that you can't eat while pregnant comment below!