Foods Which Are Unsafe to Eat for Pregnant Women - Pregnancy and Food

Carrying a baby is a joyful thing but then it also require us to change our lifestyle specifically pertaining to mother's total health. I am continuing my series of hubs about health, fitness/exercises during pregnancy, and I am going to discuss in this hub foods which are unsafe for pregnant women. You can check my other hub about healthy foods for pregnant women here -- Healthy Diets and Foods For Pregnant Women.

We all know that healthy foods is a requirement for a pregnant woman as she is carrying a baby in her womb who is totally dependent on the mothers health. Many times when women are about to embark in family formation, they think hard and are a bit worried whether they can comply with expectations of motherhood. Motherhood is a long and arduous task but it is the most rewarding task in the world. They are also thinking whether they can be responsible enough to start a family. A case in hand is we know for example that smoking and drinking is not allowed when you are pregnant and they have been drinking and smoking before pregnancies. The best decision that they can make is to ensure that their health and their unborn baby is good. There is the danger of poisoning and negative effects of some food and other habits that endangers the health of the unborn baby if they are not careful and don't know the foods which are unsafe during pregnancy.

We will now continue with this hub whose main focus are the "foods which are unsafe for pregnant women".

Normally, all foods which you normally eat when you're not pregnant can still be eaten when you're pregnant. Just take extra precautions when eating the following foods:

Raw Foods

• About Raw Vegetables ------ fruits and vegetables if not properly washed may cause Toxoplasmosis -- this disease is associated with cat litter boxes. Always wash thoroughly raw vegetables and if not just cooked them. Raw sprouts may also caused salmonella.
• About raw meats-- there are cases of coliform bacteria, salmonella and toxoplasmosis, When a pregnant woman eats raw meat foods so you should be careful about this and a case in point is sushi. As long as it is properly cleaned it should be safe, but better be careful. I eat sushi when I was pregnant all the time and it didn't cause me any harm but every women is different.
• Be careful with deli meats as well, make sure that it is properly cooked.

Eggs should be cooked as this may contain salmonella

• One danger for pregnant women is food poisoningthat is why you should be careful when eating by being more careful when choosing healthy food that you eat. You should be more careful when eating foods that you don't normally eat before, and avoid experimenting about foods when you are pregnant -- (foods that you never ate before). Always consult a health provider when you like to eat food which you never ate before like raw foods and seafoods -- fishes.
• Food allergies -- If a pregnant woman have allergies prior to pregnancies, consult a health provider about your food regimen. Prescribing medicines to women who have allergies should be taken with precautions. Usually dietary allergens are found in dairies, proteins, nuts and fishes.

Seafoods --- According to the USDA, pregnant women should not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tile fish because they contain high levels of mercury. However, they added that a pregnant woman may eat up to 12 ounces a week (2 average meals) of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. "Shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish are some commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury. “White” tuna (albacore) has more mercury than canned light tuna. Furthermore the USDA added that when choosing fish and shellfish, include only up to 6 ounces per week of white tuna."

• Caffeine -- if you cant totally avoid caffeine, the amount which should be taken daily is less than 300 mg everyday. According to WebMD, "an 8-ounce cup of coffee has about 150 mg of caffeine on average while black tea has typically about 80 mg. A 12-ounce glass of caffeinated soda contains anywhere from 30-60 mg of caffeine. Remember, chocolate contains caffeine -- the amount of caffeine in a chocolate bar is equal to 1/4 cup of coffee."
• Cheese -- Avoid the following cheese : feta, Brie, Camembert, blue-veined, and Mexican-style cheese as these are unpasteurized and may cause Listeria infection. Listeria infection is Listeriosis has a very low incidence in humans. However, according to experts,  "pregnant women are much more likely than the rest of the population to contract it plus infected pregnant women may have only mild, flulike symptoms. However, infection in a pregnant woman can lead to early delivery, infection of the newborn, and death of the baby."
• Artificial sweeteners-- there are brands of artificial sweetener which are safe for pregnant women and it is approved by the Food and Drugs Administration and these brands are : aspartame (Equal or NutraSweet), acesulfame-K (Sunett), and sucralose (Splenda). But they should be taken in moderation..
• Fats -- The total amount of fat you should eat should be one third or less of your total daily.

Conclusion :

• Every pregnant woman should adhere to the basic precautions about "unsafe foods for pregnant women" as the health of the unborn baby is totally dependent on the mother's nutrition and health. Always stay healthy and seek the advice of a health provider if in doubt about any topic pertaining to mothers health --- from fitness, dieting and healthy and unsafe foods.

Thank you for reading this article!

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The main sources for this hub are the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Nutrition Program and WebMd.