Dangerous Foods That Should Be Avoided During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a natural condition and while it can bring about significant changes in a woman's life, it can be easily overcome with a balanced lifestyle and family support. It is important to mention that a pregnant woman should be aware of her condition and should adopt a proper diet to maintain good health for herself and the baby. In addition to this, women should notify themselves of foods that are at risk and should be avoided during pregnancy and choose only those that are not considered harmful to the baby.

First of all, pregnant women should avoid poorly cooked meat because they are at risk for infection with harmful bacteria such as e.coli or salmonella. By eating less meat, pregnant women may have serious dysfunction problems such as diarrhea or nausea and more that can lead to other complications that could put the baby's life in danger by causing miscarriage or premature birth. Additionally, these dangerous food categories include: deli meats, cooked chicken, pork or meatballs, sushi and raw seafood.

Second, other foods that are not allowed in the diet for pregnant women are raw eggs. Because of the risk of carrying salmonella, raw eggs can cause food poisoning that can lead to severe diarrhea or illness as well as premature labor. To avoid raw eggs, pregnant women should stop eating different foods like eggnog, cookie dough, salad dressing and even homemade ice cream. In addition, other categories of harmful foods during pregnancy are unrefined foods and drinks. Although milk is considered a healthy beverage as it provides calcium to the body, non-fermented milk may contain harmful bacteria called listeria which is responsible for many diseases each year. Foods that may contain listeria are: first of all raw milk, unpasteurized juice and also various types of cheese.

Third, while many people consider fish to be healthy foods, the truth is that not all fish are good for pregnancy. In addition, fish are essential for healthy pregnancy by providing omega-3 fatty acids, but there are certain fish that have very high levels of methyl mercury. In addition to mercury methyl it is very dangerous for newborns with serious neurological damage as well as developmental problems. The categories of fish that contain high levels of methyl mercury are: sharks, fish, cereals and mackerel. Another category of dangerous fish is a fish-raised farm containing polycarbonate biphenyls (PCB), an environmental toxin that can affect fetal health.

Pregnant women need to be careful when choosing their food and beverages and they should always look for labels to identify ingredients that are considered harmful to their pregnancy. The most common toxic substance in soft drinks and candies is aspartam, a chemical product that can lead to severe illnesses such as cancer. It is important to mention that alcohol during pregnancy can cause severe damage to the baby by preventing it from getting oxygen and nutrients and especially heavy drinking can result in serious mental and physical harm to the baby.

------------------