Due to the risk of infection, it is advised that you only choose to consume cheeses that have been marked as pasteurized. Which will primarily be cheeses that are harder versus soft cheeses.
7. Lunch Meat
You should only consume this type of meat once you do twice a week and when it is consumed it must be cooked to a certain degree before consumption. Consuming deli meats can lead to you contracting a bacteria known as listeria.
And as we have mentioned already in this article with previous foods that contracting listeria can lead to deadly consequences for you and your child.
8. Fresh Produce
In any other circumstances, you would be told that fresh produce is great to consume. But not when it comes to pregnancy. You should ensure that you thoroughly wash and clean your produce before you consume it.
Unwashed produce can have traces of E.coli and salmonella on it which can lead to blindness and mental issues for your infant. Also, it can cause degradation and stay hydrated is extremely important for pregnant women.
9. High-mercury Fish
Pregnant women should avoid fish that are high in mercury such as swordfish, King mackerel, shark, and tilefish. Consuming fish that is high in mercury can cause damage to the brain and nervous systems.
It can also damage the kidney, lungs, nerves, and spinal cord. So it is best that you avoid them or if you’re going to eat fish opt for ones with low levels of mercury like salmon, tuna, tilapia, shrimp, cod, and catfish. But only consume those types of fish once or twice a week.
10. Unpasteurized Milk & Juice
Sorry if it seems like we are beating a dead horse with the continual repetitiveness of how harmful the bacteria listeria is but we want to stress that the consumption of unpasteurized milk and juices can be very deadly to you and your child.
Keep both of you safe by checking the label for a stamp of pasteurization before buying and drinking the milk or juice.
11. Unripened Papaya
Consuming unripe papaya can lead to the consumption of latex. The consumption of latex can trigger the hormone in a mother’s body that will cause their uterus to start contracting, therefore, sending them into labor prematurely. Preterm labor can cause stress of your fetus, low birth rate, and other issues.
So it is best to steer clear of fruits that aren’t ripe. If your not sure how to tell if a fruit is ripe or not just choose fruits that are prepackaged or pre-cut for sale.
12. Raw Eggs & Meat
Toxoplasma and salmonella can cause dehydration, preterm labor, low birth weight, low amniotic fluid, and many other complications like a miscarriage. Before consuming it is best to make sure you know the proper temperatures for cooking meat and eggs.
Only consume meat that is well done and has no pink in it. And only eat eggs that are completely cooked no signs of uncooked or runny yolk left behind.
13. Energy Drinks & Excessive Caffeine
Like coffee energy drinks are a no-no when it comes to consumption by women that are pregnant. This is because they can cause DNA mutations, miscarriage, chaotic sleep schedule, and fetal stress. You should check with your doctor about what is a safe amount of coffee for a pregnant woman to consume.
14. Alfalfa, Mung Bean, Clover, & Radish
You should make sure to wash and cook these sprouts thoroughly before consuming it because if you don’t you will be eating bacteria that are present within the shells of the sprout. Eating raw sprouts can cause food poisoning, cramps, nausea, diarrhea, and many other diseases.
Contracting any of these illnesses can cause a mother to become dehydrated which can be detrimental to the health of the mother and unborn child. So make sure that you clean the sprouts well and cook them until they are done before you eat them.
For more information about all things pregnancy, baby and postpartum, check out Childmode.com.
