While you are pregnant it is important to eat a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet with plenty of protein, calcium, and Iron. Although most foods are fine for pregnancy, some foods should be avoided. Doctors recommend that pregnant women stay away from the following foods.
Meats
- Uncooked meats such as cold cuts, deli meats, hot dogs, and other ready-to-eat meats. Or reheat them to steaming hot.
- Organ meat, including liver, tongue, heart, and kidneys
- Pre-stuffed, fresh, turkey or chicken
- Steak tartare or any raw meat
- Rare or undercooked cuts of meat or burgers
- Refrigerated pates and meat spreads
Fish
- Fish that contain mercury: King mackerel, shark, swordfish, and tilefish
- Locally caught bluefish, pike, salmon, striped bass, trout, and walleye
- Smoked fish: cod, salmon or lox, mackerel, trout, tuna, whitefish
- Sushi or any raw fish or raw shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels)
Raw Eggs
- Lightly scrambled or poached eggs
- Cookie dough that contains raw eggs
- Dressings made with raw eggs, including Caesar salad dressing, bearnaise sauce, hollandaise sauce, and mayonnaise
- Desserts that contain raw eggs, including mousse, meringue, tiramisu, some homemade ice cream and cake icings
Dairy
- Unpasteurized or raw milk
- Raw milk cheeses, usually soft cheeses, such as brie, blue cheese, feta, panela, queso blanco, and queso fresco
Fruits and Veggies
- Store-bought fresh-squeezed or any unpasteurized juice
- Unwashed produce
- Unripe papaya
- Raw sprouts
Alcohol
Although it is not a food, it is important to note that alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy as it can lead to long-term issues in the unborn child.
These foods should be avoided in order to ensure the optimal health of your unborn baby. Some of these foods have been linked to miscarriages or stillbirths while others can lead to long-term neurological disorders.
