Your body works like a fine-tuned machine to support a growing fetus, but eating a healthy, balanced diet (and avoiding certain foods) can help Mother Nature do her job even better. So, what’s the difference between pregnant women’s nutrition and regular good nutrition? What exactly should you be eating? Many pregnant women also wonder what foods are best to avoid, as well as what not to eat at all during pregnancy. Here you will find answers to your questions as well as practical tips on nutrition during pregnancy. What foods should be avoided during pregnancy?
We’re always here to advise you but remember that every woman’s pregnancy is different, so our advice is no substitute for a doctor’s consultation. Contact your doctor to discuss any individual changes to your diet.
What not to eat during pregnancy :
The good news is that a healthy diet during pregnancy is very similar to a healthy diet for non-pregnant women. You should eat regularly and try to eat mostly natural foods, such as vegetables, fruits, and whole-grain products. In addition, try to limit your diet to foods with high sugar content and processed foods.
For safety reasons, exclude raw or semi-raw meat, liver, raw fish sushi, raw eggs, soft cheeses, and unpasteurized milk and juices from your diet. Below you will find more information about some foods that should not be eaten during pregnancy:
Fish containing mercury, raw fish, shellfish, and crustaceans
Do not eat fish high in mercury, which includes marlin, swordfish, king mackerel, mackerel, shark, tuna, and panfish. Only canned light tuna is allowed in moderate quantities.
To the disappointment of all sushi lovers, raw fish, shellfish, and crustaceans are also among the foods that are highly undesirable to eat during pregnancy, because they can contain bacteria or even parasites. Smoked seafood should also be excluded from the diet.
Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk
Soft cheeses such as feta, brie, dorblu, and camembert are also on the list of foods that pregnant women should avoid. Because these cheeses are made from raw milk, they can be contaminated with listeria.
The basic rule of thumb: look for a label that says the product is pasteurized!
Unpasteurized milk and juices
The same rules apply to milk and juices. Freshly squeezed juice or any unpasteurized juice may contain pathogenic bacteria (E. coli, listeria, salmonella), so these products should not be consumed during pregnancy.
Raw eggs
Also on your list of prohibited foods during pregnancy should be raw eggs or products containing raw or semi-raw eggs: a mixture of ingredients for baking muffins, cookie dough, hard-boiled eggs and scrambled eggs. Also keep in mind foods that may contain semi-raw eggs: salads, condiments, whipped egg drinks, and ice cream, for example. During pregnancy, you should only eat eggs that have been heat-treated until fully cooked.
Semi-cooked or raw meat and poultry
Semi-cooked or raw meat can contain listeria. During pregnancy, be careful and avoid these deli meats or steam the meat until it is fully cooked. Cold meat pâtés are also forbidden. As for sliced meat, make sure it has been cooked until fully cooked before eating it.
Raw or half-cooked vegetable products
The consumption of raw vegetables, fruits, berries, lettuce, legumes, root vegetables, etc. carries the risk of food poisoning, so they should be carefully washed or cooked before consumption to reduce the risk of bacterial growth.
Foods to avoid during pregnancy
Although these foods are not strictly banned, their consumption should be either limited or eliminated in order to maintain your good health:
Semi-finished foods in the form of fresh stuffed meats
Be careful when consuming semi-finished fresh stuffed meats. If you choose to buy whole stuffed poultry, it should be bought frozen and not defrosted before cooking. Fresh meat in combination with stuffing can cause bacterial growth.
Sweets, carbohydrate-rich foods, fast food
Although there is no conclusive scientific evidence, sweets, fast food, and foods high in fats and carbohydrates are usually on the list of foods that expectant moms dread eating. If you have an irresistible craving for certain foods during pregnancy, try to choose from them healthier options. Can’t imagine a single meal without French fries? Fry your food with little or no oil using an Airfryer, a healthy alternative that allows you to enjoy delicious fried food with 90%* lower fat content. You must remember: a balanced, healthy diet is important for your health and the health of your baby-to-be.
Caffeine in excessive amounts
During pregnancy, restrictions are imposed not only on food but also on beverages, among which you should avoid beverages containing caffeine. Remember that caffeine is contained not only in coffee but also in beverages such as tea, cocoa, and cola.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that “women who consume a lot of caffeine daily (more than 300 mg per day) reduce their daily intake during pregnancy to reduce the risk of miscarriage or low birth weight babies.
Healthy Nutrition for expectant mothers
Pregnancy is a period of intensive growth and development of your future child, as well as a time of many physiological changes in the mother’s body, so the nutrition of the pregnant woman should contribute to the success this way. It is not a bad idea to discuss this issue with your doctor, because this way you can make sure that you consume enough of the right nutrients. Here are some key tips for a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy:
- Consume whole-grain foods, such as whole-grain bread and pasta; give preference to lean meat or poultry, and try to eat 225-350 grams of cooked fish a week (remember to choose fish with low mercury content).
- Your diet should include foods from five groups: grains, fruits, vegetables, protein products, and dairy products. Half of the meals on your plate consist of fruits and vegetables, and the other half consists of whole grains.
- And the easiest way to eat more fruits and vegetables is to make a smoothie. There’s a huge variety of recipes now, and Philips blenders can help you make them quickly and achieve the most delicate texture. Make new recipes with your favorite foods and add herbs and nuts.
