As pregos, we need to avoid some of the foods that we love to take good care of our little ones..

1.Cheese:

Soft cheese such as fresh mozzarella, feta, camembert, brie, roquefort, Gorgonzola and Mexican style cheeses like Queso Fresco and Queso Blanco should be avoided due to Listeria risk. Most hard cheeses, such as parmegiana and cheddar, are safe to eat during pregnancy, however always check the label to make sure your cheese is made from pasteurized milk.

2.Meat, poultry:

Rare meats or any meat that has blood or pink color should be avoided during pregnancy. They may contain salmonella and toxoplasma therefore all meat including poultry, hamburger patties must be cooked to steaming hot(165F).

Avoid pate and meat spreads due to Listeria risk. Limit organ meats including liver to 50 grams per week due to high Vit A. Deli meats should be avoided due to Listeria risk unless they are thoroughly cooked.

3.Fresh squeezed juice: Juice should be pasteurized to protect against bacteria called Salmonella and E.coli. Freshly squeezed juices are at risk to be contaminated during the process unless they are pasteurized.

4.Fish and seafood:

High mercury fish*: King Mackerel Swordfish Tuna (avoid bigeye tuna; light canned tuna in moderation) Marlin Tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico Orange roughy(deep sea perch)

*If you prefer to eat any of the fish above, do not eat more than one serving= 150 grams in two weeks.

Smoked seafood: Due to Listeria monocytes bacteria risk, all smoked fish should be avoided during pregnancy such as lox, nova style, kippered or jerky. It can be consumed if it is broiled and cooked thoroughly to 165 F(78 C).

Raw Shellfish: Raw oyster, clams, mussel, sashimi, sushi(except it is fully cooked or vegetarian) must be avoided for risk of Listeria.

5.Raw eggs:

Avoid any runny eggs and food made from raw eggs such as hollandaise sauce, mousses, cake batters, homemade sauces that call for raw eggs, cookie dough and eggnog. Make sure your omelet is cooked thoroughly unless you are using pasteurized eggs.

6.Herbal teas:

Some teas can lead to contractions make sure to discuss with your practitioner. In the meantime, fennel, mint, chamomile and ginger teas are generally safe to drink in moderation during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

7.Caffeine

Total caffeine intake needs to be limited to 200 mg/day. Check out the high caffeine food and drink list in my previous blog.

8.Allergic foods:

There is no need to avoid allergenic foods during pregnancy unless you are allergic to them. Recent research suggests that babies do not become allergic to any food that has been consumed by their mom. Furthermore, eating peanuts during pregnancy could reduce the risk of developing peanut allergy in babies. To date, there is no other food to be proven to have the same effect.

9.Alcohol:

Research suggests that there is no right amount of alcohol to drink while you are pregnant. You should avoid drinking alcohol while you are pregnant and breastfeeding. Alcohol consumption is associated with fetal alcohol syndrome and other anomalies in babies.

10.Raw sprouts and Unwashed vegetables:

Raw sprouts such as alfalfa, clover and radish should not be consumed during pregnancy. Make sure that your vegetables are washed thoroughly to avoid Toxoplasmosis which can be in the soil where your veggies are grown.

This blog provides general information and discussions about health and related subjects. The information in this or other posts are not intended to give you medical advice or should not be substituted with medical advice. Please see your health care provider for individualized treatment plans and recommendations.

If you are expecting, feel free to join my FB group where we share our current and previous experiences with other mom-to-be’s!

Stay healthy and shine with your baby!

Love,

DNY

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