As a responsible mother-to-be, during your nine months of pregnancy, you will find yourself giving serious consideration to the types of food that you are eating, and rightly so. You will be aware that a good knowledge of the best foods to eat when pregnant leads to the best chance of delivering a healthy bouncing baby. As a pregnant woman, you are no longer caring for yourself alone, but are now also responsible for a new person growing inside you.
When it comes to pregnancy nutrition, the way to go is to eat balanced meals from the four basic food groups: carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. However, just as there are good foods to eat when pregnant, there are also some foods you have to eat less of or avoid altogether. Knowing what not to eat when pregnant is equally important, as the wrong food may put your baby and your pregnancy at risk.
What are the foods you have to keep away from during pregnancy?
Raw meats, fish or seafood, rare or uncooked beef or poultry: Raw and undercooked foods are risky because they may be contaminated with coliform bacteria, salmonella or toxoplasmosis, all of which may harm not only your baby, but your health as well.
Raw eggs or foods that contain raw eggs as an ingredient such as homemade custard, mayonnaise, or caesar salad dressing: Foods such as these carry a risk of contamination with salmonella bacteria.
Soft cheese: Raw and soft cheese such as camembert, feta or blue cheese may also have its share of harmful bacteria, and should be avoided.
Fish with high levels of mercury in their fatty tissues: Fish such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish must be avoided as they can contain large quantities of mercury, which can result in brain damage and developmental delays.
Fish with high levels of industrial pollutants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls): Fish such as striped bass, bluefish, and freshwater fish like pike, salmon and trout, that come from contaminated lakes and rivers must be completely avoided. Taking in large amounts of PCBs can reportedly lead to a decrease in IQ, memory, and attention in babies.
There are also some pregnancy foods that you just need to monitor, and take care not to over-indulge. For example, the amount of liver that you consume should be watched as it contains high levels of vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential vitamin, but too much of it can cause birth defects. Some experts also suggest minimal use of artificial sweeteners. Pregnant women should avoid alcohol at all times, and limit their consumption of caffeine to 200mg a day (equivalent to two mugs of instant coffee or tea or one mug of filtered or brewed coffee).
Taking time to think about what foods to eat when pregnant and what foods to avoid is very important to ensure you and your baby's optimal health. Now that you know what not to eat when pregnant, make sure you make the right choices for you and your baby.
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The proper development of your unborn child is highly dependent on the types of food you eat. Get the facts on the right foods to eat when pregnant.
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