20 foods to avoid during pregnancy so as not to take risks
Choosing a "healthy and balanced diet during the 9 months of pregnancy is not taken for granted and is never easy. If we think that cravings soon appear ... everything becomes more difficult. Some foods are strongly discouraged, while others" Which are absolutely forbidden.
During pregnancy, the mother's immune system is a little weaker than normal; this need not worry you, this is a particular moment when a new organism is growing inside you and it is assumed that the body changes. , one of the first things to pay close attention to is diet How does it change during pregnancy?
For sure there will be an increase in the daily caloric requirement, if the expectant mother feeds properly the baby will receive all the necessary nutrients to grow and develop in a healthy way.
A healthy and balanced diet includes:
- proteins (meats, poultry, fish, legumes),
- carbohydrates (cereals, bread, pasta, rice),
- milk and derivatives (cheeses),
- fruit,
- vegetables
It will be necessary to be particularly attentive to certain foods, to be avoided or eliminated completely because they could be a vehicle for food infections, or for other reasons be toxic for mom and baby. Let's find out what foods and drinks it is.
See also
1. Raw meat
Raw meat is the food par excellence to avoid for all pregnant women. Therefore, stop to tartare and steaks not cooked properly. However, it remains to be specified that meat is a healthy food rich in proteins that are healthy and necessary even when you are pregnant. The foresight will be to choose cuts of meat that can easily be cooked well, from the outside to the heart.
What is the risk of eating raw meat when pregnant? If the mother is negative on the toxo-test, she will therefore be sensitive to toxoplasmosis, with a high risk of toxoplasma contamination. It is a parasitic infection that is often asymptomatic, but if it also infects the newborn, it can cause problems with sight, hearing and, more generally, the brain. If you've tested immune for toxoplasmosis, you may want to eat some meat carpaccio, but make sure it's freshly prepared.
2. The smoked meat
Smoked meat (eg bresaola or carne salada) is also one of the foods to avoid during pregnancy. If you are immune to the toxoplasmosis test, you can consume this type of food, but it must be as fresh as possible.
3. The cold cuts
Among the many types of cold cuts present in Italian gastronomy, some can be eaten during pregnancy, while others cannot. Green light to cooked ham, mortadella, porchetta, zampone and cotechino which are all cured meats cooked at very high temperatures. To avoid instead, first of all raw ham, followed by coppa, pancetta, speck, culatello and salami.
Much also depends on the seasoning and c "are those who say that with a seasoning of over 24 months, the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis is really low. If you want to be safe, ask the doctor who follows you for advice, or better postpone the consumption of cured meats and raw sausages after childbirth.
4. Sushi and sashimi
The consumption of raw fish is not recommended during pregnancy due to the risk of contamination with viruses (hepatitis A), bacteria (salmonella, Listeria) and other parasites.
But if you are sure that the fish has been thermally slaughtered and kept in perfect hygienic conditions, then things change. Blast chilling consists of freezing for at least 96 hours at -18 ° C in a domestic freezer or for at least 24 hours at -20 ° C in restaurant freezers: this is the only way to destroy any parasites.
When you eat away from home, doing this type of control is very difficult, so we recommend that you refrain from eating this type of food. At home you can have greater control of the situation, but it must be borne in mind that the domestic freezer does not always reach -18 ° C.
5. Crustaceans and molluscs
Molluscs such as oysters, mussels and clams and crustaceans such as shrimps and crabs should be consumed only cooked and in any case only occasionally: they are "filtering" animals and risk concentrating any toxic substances present in the environment within themselves.
6. Marinated fish
Also in this case the rule of chilling in the freezer and then of the consequent marinating is valid. Just marinating with lemon or vinegar reduces the risk of contamination by parasites, but does not clear it, so to be sure it is best to avoid.
Anchovies, herring, anchovies, salmon: with lemon or vinegar they can actually be very good, but pay the utmost attention.
7. The smoked fish
Even the smoking of the fish alone is not enough to reduce the risk of contamination, so salmon, swordfish and smoked tuna are on the list of foods to avoid during pregnancy. The risk in this case is to contract listeria, an infection that causes diarrhea, nausea and fever, and is consequently transmitted to the newborn (even in the birth phase).
8. Large fish
Large fish such as tuna or swordfish, in themselves, would not give any kind of problem if eaten by a pregnant woman as long as they are well cooked. The real worrying feature of these species is the amount of mercury they accumulate and if consumed often, the fetus can also be contaminated with consequences for its normal development. Don't completely exclude these types of fish from your dishes, simply reduce how often you consume them.
9. Cheeses
From the family of cheeses, some must be absolutely excluded during pregnancy due to the risk of Listeria. Among these in particular, gorgonzola, brie, camembert, roquefort and similar. If you really can't do without them, cook them over high heat for at least 1 or 2 minutes.
10. Unpasteurized milk
In the months of pregnancy, but in general always, it is better not to consume raw milk without having first boiled it to eliminate the possible presence of pathogens. We recommend that you buy unpasteurized raw milk directly from distributors or at the farm, but boiling before drinking.
11. Fruit and vegetables not washed well
Uncooked, unwashed vegetables and fruit may also hide the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis. The care to be taken is to wash them well, even with bicarbonate; but be careful: this should not be an excuse to pay less attention to washing, because bicarbonate itself does not reduce the risk of infection, as it does not destroy the parasite.
In general, even fruit, especially those that grow on the ground (strawberries, melons), must be washed thoroughly before being brought to the table, to avoid the risk of infections.
12. The mushrooms
Cooked mushrooms can be eaten without problems during pregnancy, the problem arises with raw mushrooms such as, for example, the classic porcini salads. In general, fungi are filter-feeding organisms and, like molluscs, they may have absorbed toxic elements which they then transmit to us. Do not exclude them from the diet, but consume them in moderation.
13. Raw or undercooked eggs
The risk of not perfectly cooked eggs arises from the fact that they can lead to salmonella, an infection that is also quite serious, absolutely to be avoided. with raw egg, such as tiramisu, mascarpone cream, zabaglione or mayonnaise.
If you make sure that the dish you are about to consume contains pasteurized eggs, then you can rest assured, but out of scruple, it is always better to check the label with the ingredients.
14. Ready gastronomy
The dishes prepared by the deli department of the supermarket end up on the list of foods to avoid during pregnancy for one simple reason: you will never know in what hygienic conditions they were prepared. Fruits and vegetables may not have been washed well, creams or sweets may contain unpasteurized eggs, and so on. If you are sure of the point of sale where you are buying, then you can rest assured. If not, at least for 9 months of pregnancy, avoid this type of preparation!
15. Alcohol
It is not yet clear what the maximum alcohol threshold is to avoid harm to the fetus. However, if you are pregnant, completely refrain from drinking alcohol.
16. Caffeine-based drinks
Some types of drinks, such as coffee or tea, contain caffeine, an energizing substance that in high doses could have negative effects on the development of the fetus. During the 9 months before giving birth, you can continue drinking coffee and tea, perhaps reducing the quantities a little.
17. Carbonated and sweetened drinks
For some mothers they are a do-it-yourself remedy for nausea in the first months, while others are used to drinking them since before pregnancy, but you have to be careful because a single glass of cola, orange soda, lemonade or other, contains a lot of sugar. they can drink, but in great moderation. And the same goes for fruit juices with added sugars: better limit yourself to occasional consumption.
18. Filtered water
If the water from your tap is drinkable, you can drink it without problems even during pregnancy, but it should not be filtered because the filtration eliminates most of the minerals present in the water (such as calcium and magnesium) that you need during pregnancy. that in pregnancy hydration is very important, try to drink at least 2-2.5 liters of water a day. If you can get to these levels with "normal" water, you can help yourself with unsweetened tea or herbal teas.
19. Raw sprouts
Raw sprouts such as soy, alfalfa or clover are high in vitamins but may contain pathogens that carry salmonella. Avoid them altogether unless you decide to consume them cooked.
20. The ice cream
Ice cream can be considered safe as long as it is made without raw milk and without unpasteurized eggs. However, some flavors of ice cream besides being "dangerous" due to the presence of these foods, can also be very caloric and rich in fat. Always prefer fruit flavors and make sure, through the list of ingredients, that everything is ok.
Final tips
After this list of 20 foods to avoid during pregnancy, we want to give some further advice to all future mothers who are experiencing one of the best times of their life.
- First of all, remember that food is always your ally even and above all in a particular moment such as gestation.
- Your diet must remain as varied and balanced as possible, do not force yourself to exclude certain foods just for fear of gaining too much weight (which by the way is a physiological thing).
- Study your menus for each week, favoring cooked foods and alternating vegetable and animal proteins, to always be associated with sources of fiber.
- Do not demonize carbohydrates, they are the ones who give energy to the whole body, especially when the belly gets big, you will need it.
