As tempted as you may be, there are a few food that you must not consume during pregnancy, as it can be harmful for your health as well as your unborn’s health. Listed below are 11 such food its best you steer clear of when pregnant.

Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful phases of a woman’s life. During this phase, you experience numerous changes, not only physical but emotional and psychological as well. You feel a change in the way you perceive yourself, your lifestyle, your attitude, and almost everything. Therefore, it is important to infuse healthy eating habits during pregnancy, especially at the early stage, to have a happy and healthy pregnancy.

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For this reason, it becomes more important to eat healthy than ever before. This includes not only being careful about what to eat but also be careful with stuff to avoid. There are certain foods that need to be consumed only once in while some should be completely avoided.

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List of Foods to Avoid During Early Pregnancy

Here is a list of 11 foods that should be avoided or minimized during early stages of pregnancy.

1. Unripe Papaya

Green (unripe) papaya contains a latex substance that might trigger uterine contractions. This latex contained by papaya acts like the hormones prostaglandin and oxy-toxin, usually involved in the beginning of labor. Therefore, it is better to avoid unripe papaya, found mainly of the menus in Thai restaurants.

2. Unpasteurized Milk, Cheese and Fruit Juice

Raw milk and any type of by-product, like cheese, prepared using this milk should be avoided by pregnant women as it contains harmful bacteria. Processed fruit juices are also a big NO for you soon to be mommies! Go for fresh juices instead.

3. Foods with Added Sugar

If you have developed gestational diabetes, it becomes important to avoid intake of foods that contain added sugar for these can upset the blood glucose control. However, same is recommended for those without diabetes as well. You can get these simple carbohydrates from milk and fruits, while complex carbohydrates can be obtained from rice, bread, pasta, and potatoes.

4. Undercooked or Raw Eggs

Undercooked or raw eggs contain harmful organisms, like E.Coli and Salmonella, which can cause gastrointestinal infection in pregnant women. This infection can be passed to the baby through placenta and can be life-threatening for the baby. Therefore, avoid eggs in any raw from, including in batter, sauces, and eggnog.

5. Certain Types of Fish

It is recommended to avoid swordfish and shark completely for the high level of mercury contained in them. This can hinder the natural development of your baby. Some fish that are good to eat during pregnancy include mackerel and salmon. These contain vitamin D, crucial for bone development of the baby.

6. Avoid Intake of Undercooked Meat

Make it a point to avoid intake of undercooked meat. All meat should be cooked thoroughly. Also completely avoid raw meat during your pregnancy as it can lead to your falling ill and can also harm your unborn baby. You stand the risk of getting infected with the dangerous toxoplasma parasite when you eat meat that is either raw, bloody or pink in the middle and may succumb to toxoplasmosis. This can cause serious ailments and also lead to miscarriage in some cases.

7. High Sodium Foods

While most of you might have a craving for salty periods during the initial stages of pregnancy, sodium is not you friend dear mommies-to-be. Pregnancy already makes your body more susceptible to water retention and swelling. Excessive sodium intake would only make the things worse.

8. Unwashed Food

Make it a point to wash all fruits and vegetables that you eat raw. Unwashed veggies and fruits contain the parasite toxoplasma which as we discussed earlier can cause numerous complications to not just the mother but also the baby.

9. Avoid consumption of Liver

Liver contains high amount of vitamin A. an excessive build-up can harm the baby. Other foods containing high levels of vitamin A include liver and fish liver oils.

10. Avoid Caffeine

Excessive intake of caffeine can be a cause for low birth rate or miscarriage. However, 200 mg a day is considered safe. According to studies caffeine can cross the placenta and get into the baby’s bloodstream and amniotic fluid. Your body will immediately begin to work hard to metabolize and get rid of the caffeine, however y,our baby’s body is still developing and will take a lot longer to process the same amount of caffeine. This means your baby is exposed to the effects of caffeine for longer than you will be.

11. Alcohol

It has been revealed through studies that alcohol consumption during pregnancy can harm the unborn child. Any alcohol in the mother’s blood can pass directly to the baby through the umbilical cord. According to studies consumption of alcohol can also cause still birth, miscarriage, and other intellectual disabilities. And, hence it is best to avoid alcohol for the 9 months of pregnancy.

These are 11 foods that most doctors and experts will ask you to avoid consuming during pregnancy. If you have any other food allergies, that you may have developed during pregnancy, it is best you avoid those food till your baby is born.

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