Food plays a fundamental role in the development of the fetus, therefore, pregnant women should follow a series of nutritional advice to the letter. In the same way that some nutrients are essential, there are many foods that are harmful during pregnancy and that can compromise the development of the baby.
Your midwife or the doctor who follows your pregnancy will provide you with a series of guidelines that you should follow regarding feeding. Although in some cases, these guidelines are too light and many pregnant women find themselves with doubts throughout the gestation about the foods they can or cannot eat. Today we are going to see what are those foods that should not be consumed pregnant women.
What pregnant women can NOT eat
Everything you take during your pregnancy can directly affect your child's development. Many of the foods you eat normally can be harmful to your baby, for this reason, it is essential that you pay close attention to what you eat, especially when you do it outside the home. Take good note of the list that you will see below and you can review it whenever you have questions.
Soft, blue, and unpasteurized cheeses
Within this list found:
- Blue cheeses: the roquefort or the gorgonzola
- Soft cheeses: such as camembert, brie cheese
- Unpasteurized: mozzarella or feta cheese
These types of cheese are dangerous during pregnancy due to the significant risk of contracting diseases such as Listeria. This disease is produced by the bacterium «listera monocytogenes» that is present in the bacterial flora of the cow, among other less dangerous bacteria. Raw milk or unpasteurized cheeses contain this type of bacteria that can seriously compromise the health of the baby and the continuity of the pregnancy.
Large fish
Among them are tuna, swordfish, dogfish, mackerel or pike. All these fish can contain large doses of mercury, a very dangerous substance for the brain development of the fetus and therefore should be avoided by pregnant women. In addition to other substances that can damage the endocrine system of the future baby.
Raw fish and meat
Uncooked foods may contain different substances very dangerous for the baby's developmentIn the case of raw fish, the main danger is anisakis. In the case of undercooked or raw meat, there are different risks, although the main ones are the aforementioned listeria and toxoplasmosis.
If you do not want to give up the consumption of these products, what the specialists recommend is freeze the food for 24-48 hours before consuming it. Deep freezing kills those bacteria and dangerous substances which will allow you to take it without taking risks. Of course, although the regulations require restaurants to take this measure, it is preferable to avoid eating raw, smoked or brined fish and meats.
Liver pate
The liver is a food high in retinol or vitamin A, in a high percentage, it can be harmful to the baby. However, a fair contribution of this vitamin is necessary, which you can find in plant foods such as carrots or pumpkin.
Raw egg and homemade mayonnaise
The danger lies in the risk of contracting salmonellosis, a disease caused by the salmonella bacteria. This bacteria is found in raw eggs, so any product prepared with this ingredient is highly dangerous for pregnant women. Avoid having homemade mayonnaise, desserts made with raw eggs such as meringue or undercooked tortillas.
Sprouted sprouts
Sprouted sprouts are very beneficial for your health as long as you are not pregnant. The danger lies in the conditions of production of this foodas it can easily become contaminated with dangerous bacteria such as salmonella or E-Colli. The way to take germinated sprouts without risk for your baby is by cooking the product before consuming it, since the bacteria are eliminated during cooking.
Also, you should make sure wash all vegetables and fruits very well that you are going to take raw. As well as any food that you are going to cook and the kitchen utensils that you use in the process.