Eating a healthy and balanced diet is advisable for everyone, but more importance is placed on what you put in your mouth when you are pregnant and eating for your baby as well.
Research in prenatal medicine is always evolving, and new recommendations for women concerned with their pregnancy and diet are being made as we learn more. If you are pregnant, or considering pregnancy, you may be surprised by which foods you should avoid, and which foods are particularly beneficial.
Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
Large Fish – It is commonly known that tuna in substantial quantities should be avoided by women who are pregnant; tuna contains high levels of mercury. Mercury in large quantities is dangerous to a baby’s developing nervous system.
Instead of avoiding tuna and all fish, the idea is to avoid all fish that are older and bigger as they have had more time to ingest mercury into their bodies and thus carry a higher concentration of it.
It is less commonly known that there are other fish that should be avoided as well: tilefish, shark, king mackerel and swordfish. The main point to understand is not too much fish and as stated before avoid an older fish.
Raw Fruits and Vegetables – Although raw fruits and vegetables should be part of everyone’s healthy eating plan, a pregnant woman needs to be particularly careful with how she eats her portion.
Uncooked fruit and veggies may harbor dangerous bacteria that are more of a threat to a pregnant woman than the general population. Making sure to eat raw fruit and vegetables after they have been thoroughly washed limits the risk. Cut off any parts that are less than perfect. Raw sprouts should be avoided entirely.
Tea – Coffee has just recently been added back in to the diet of a pregnant woman. Doctors sanction one cup of coffee per day but that does not mean that you should turn to tea. Even though there are types of tea that are geared specifically toward pregnant women, there has not yet been enough research into the effect of tea on a developing baby.
Beneficial Foods During Pregnancy
Yogurt – A pregnant woman already knows that she should be adding to her milk intake. Yogurt is a superb substitute for milk because it is an excellent source of folic acid and has added protein.
Smaller Fish – It can be easy to be frightened off fish because of the mercury scare. Fish has omega-3 fatty acids that are difficult to get by other means but are crucial for brain development and should be consumed twice weekly by a pregnant woman. Small fish that are safe to eat include salmon, tilapia and cod.
Fruits and Vegetables – It is not a mistake that fruit and vegetables showed up on the beneficial foods list after being on the high risk list. They are so essential to a woman’s pregnancy and diet, that even though they may carry a small risk, preparing them appropriately is worth the benefit.
Eating different colored fruits and vegetables will help pregnant women and their babies get a variety of vitamins and minerals.
Pregnancy and Diet: The Bottom Line
It’s difficult to set very specific guidelines when it comes to pregnancy and diet as there are many conflicting studies out there. Obviously you have to eat, but don’t let too much information cause you to become fearful of all these foods. They are guidelines for you to use to form a basis for your diet.
If you have questions about what you should and should not be eating during your pregnancy, check with your doctor. Managing your pregnancy and diet can be confusing but your doctor can help tailor a plan that is right for you and alleviate much of the confusion and doubt.
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