Healthy Diet for Pregnant Woman:

Foods You Must Avoid

A healthy diet for pregnant woman not only means eating your fruits and veggies, but also knowing which foods are unsafe for the baby.

Good nutrition during pregnancy is more than what you should eat, but also what you should not eat!

When you are pregnant, you are at a higher risk for getting a foodborne illness. Foodborne illnesses are not fun to experience, but beyond the discomfort you would feel is the risk it poses to your unborn baby.

To avoid foodborne illness, it is important that you take special precautions when preparing your own food and also be sure you know that other foods have been prepared in a safe manner.

Also, there are certain foods that can cause serious side effects or even death to your unborn baby.

Which foods do you need to avoid?

• Certain types of fish

• Undercooked meat

• Deli meat

• Soft cheeses

• Uncooked hot dogs

• Alcohol

• Caffeine in large quantities

Some foods are “high-risk foods” that may contain a bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes, which can cause an infection called Listeriosis.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “The disease affects primarily pregnant women, newborns, and adults with weakened immune systems. It can be avoided by following a few simple recommendations.”

Also, according to the CDC, pregnant women are at a much higher risk than the average person – 20 times more likely to get listeriosis. This is so dangerous because it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, or other complications.

A healthy diet for pregnant woman to follow includes taking necessary precautions necessary precautions against this infection.

Research does not currently show that sweeteners such as sucralose, aspartame, and saccarin are dangerous to ingest during pregnancy.

Saccarin does, however, cross the placenta and possibly remains in fetal tissue. It is probably best to limit this particular sweetener.

Since artificial sweeteners do not have any nutritive value to them, it also possible that you may feel most comfortable avoiding them during pregnancy. Do what you feel comfortable with!

Note: Women with PKU do need to use caution with aspartame.

These have not been thoroughly studied in pregnant women, so it is recommended that you not take them during pregnancy until they have been proven safe.

The American Academy of Pediatrics does recommend limiting herbal teas in filtered tea bags during pregnancy to two 8-oz servings per day.

Not only avoiding certain foods that are listed above, but also incorporating the right foods and knowing which foods may help prevent yeast infections, constipation, or heartburn.