• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Pregnancy Logo 2018

Pregnancy Magazine

Pregnancy and infancy news, tips, and reviews

“Great
  • Pregnancy
  • Labor & Delivery
  • Baby
  • Breastfeeding
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Buyer’s Guide

The top foods to avoid during pregnancy

01/25/2012 by Pregnancy Editors Leave a Comment

If you're an expectant mom, you likely know two of the main things to avoid while pregnant – cigarettes and alcohol. However, in addition to these substances, there are numerous other foods to avoid that could pose a risk to your baby, as well as foods that you should eat sparingly.

Mercury
This potentially toxic compound can be found in certain varieties of seafood, including swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, and can cause developmental damage in a growing fetus. Canned tuna generally has less mercury than other versions of this fish, but it should only be eaten in moderation (the FDA suggests no more than 12 ounces a week). Some seafood that is actually beneficial includes fully cooked tilapia, shrimp, crab and salmon.

Raw and undercooked food
As much as you may love sushi or medium-rare beef, you should avoid these delicacies while you're pregnant. Be even more cautious of raw shellfish like oysters and clams. If you're baking and are tempted to eat raw cookie dough or cake batter, wait to have a taste until after they're cooked. Raw sprouts, such as radish, clover and alfalfa, may have Listeria, so cook those thoroughly too.

Unpasteurized food
Many soft cheeses contain unpasteurized milk, including Brie, feta, blue cheese, Camembert and Mexican-style cheeses like queso blanco. Avoid unpasteurized eggs and juice as well. However, low-fat dairy offers many health benefits, so try to work skim milk, cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese into your diet.

Food to be careful with
When eating fruits and vegetables, always wash them thoroughly to remove any harmful bacteria. Limit your caffeine intake as well because high levels could speed up your baby's heart rate. Try not to drink more than 16 ounces of coffee a day. Hot dogs and deli meats must be cooked before you eat them, even if the package says otherwise, in order to kill off any lingering bacteria. 

Filed Under: Pregnancy

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

More to See

The perfect workout for pregnant women (sponsored)

03/28/2019 By Isa Herrera, MSPT CSCS

hospital birth

Hospital Birth in a Pandemic: 5 Easy Ways to Gain Peace of Mind

03/26/2021 By Sarah Moore

sleep through the night

Get Your Baby to Sleep through the Night in ONE day!

03/10/2021 By Elizabeth Pantley

Footer

Copyright 2021 Pregnancy Magazine Group

Emails powered by Wishpond: PregnancyWishpond

Dedicated WordPress hosting: PregnancyFlywheel

WordPress Theme: PregnancyTheme

This website provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an examination by your healthcare provider. If you have any concerns about your own health or the health of your child, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional. Please review the Terms of Use before using this site. Your use of the site indicates your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.

 

Recent

  • Staying healthy while pregnant this spring
  • Hospital Birth in a Pandemic: 5 Easy Ways to Gain Peace of Mind
  • Get Your Baby to Sleep through the Night in ONE day!
  • What expecting mothers need to know to cope with nesting
  • Risks of marijuana use during pregnancy: Expecting mothers need to know

Search

© Copyright 2021 Pregnancy Magazine Group · All Rights Reserved

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are as essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.