Food And Drinks To Stay Away From During Pregnancy

The things you eat during pregnancy are responsible for the growth of the child present inside you. Just having a balanced diet is not enough. There are certain eatables which affect the fetus and you must avoid during pregnancy. 

Raw Meat and Liver:

During pregnancy you must avoid raw meats like sushi, beef, poultry, seafood. These raw meats pose a high risk of bacteria like E.coli, salmonella, toxoplasmosis, etc. Meat such as hot dog has resulted in large scale food poisoning, commonly known as Listeriosis. These foods are detrimental for the fetuses. 

Animal Liver is considered to be very rich in Vitamin A. However, consuming excess of Vitamin A is very dangerous for the unborn child. It can cause birth defects so it is advisable to avoid animal lever from your list of Foods and Drinks. 

Fish:

The other danger can occur from an unexpected source – Fish. Since long, it was considered to be the best source of protein for pregnant women. However, the recent study shows that it contains high amount of mercury.

This increased level of mercury in fish is caused due to increased waste dumping in water. By consuming mercury, the nervous system of the fetus is damaged in such a way that it cannot be cured later. 

It is recently noticed that pregnant women are avoiding fishes like tuna, shark, swordfish, striped bass, bluefish, tilefish, king mackerel and freshwater fish. 

Caffeine: 

Consuming some Foods and Drinks can take away your happiness from you. Caffeine is commonly found in coffee and it is present in some other Foods and Drinks like chocolate, cocoa, tea and carbonated drinks. 

Caffeine is passed from mother to her unborn baby through placenta while a new born baby get caffeine supply through breast milk. When this harmful substance enters the fetus, it becomes difficult to detoxify it. 

A number of problems occur if you consume caffeine during pregnancy. Firstly, the level of calcium and iron drops down incredibly. Secondly, caffeine can lead to risk of miscarriage and low birth weight of new born child. This is also high risk of defects in growth like such as cleft palate and may lead to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. 

Artificial Sweeteners: 

Artificial sweetener content found in Foods and Drinks like saccharin and aspartame should be avoided. Although there is no medical proof that aspartame is harmful, saccharin is a common cause of birth defects. These sweeteners are present in diet soda and soft drinks and cokes. Instead of consuming harmful sweeteners, it is recommended to have lots of fruit juices, water and milk. 

Alcohol:

Although I have mention it last in my list, it is the first thing to be avoided by pregnant women. Alcohol is the most common cause of damage to unborn bay and a leading cause of mental retardation among babies. Every time you consume alcohol, it is consumed by your baby as well. Daily consumption of alcohol can be fatal. 

Now that you are clear about the Foods and Drinks you should avoid, try not to add these eatables in your list. Be a responsible mother and lead a happy life.