Worst Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

You are well aware that everything you eat or drink affects the growth of the baby that is inside your belly.  There are some foods that may not be harmful to a pregnant woman but they will affect the growth of the baby. In addition, some foods may not be dangerous for baby growth but will affect a pregnant woman’s health.

It is among the foremost things that you need to know about foods and beverages that may be harmful to you as well as your baby. Additionally, there are also high chances of food poisoning if pregnant women use refrigerator foods.

According to the best gynecologist in Lahore, it is best for pregnant women if they don’t use foods that are in the refrigerator for more than two hours. They also need to avoid foods if these foods are in hot weather for more than one hour.

Many pregnant women are also big fans of some beverages that are full of caffeine. Consuming caffeine in higher amounts from beverages is not a healthy practice to do during pregnancy. Therefore, it is a suggestion for pregnant women that they have to consume a maximum of 200 mg of caffeine every day.

In addition, it will also be more harmful to pregnant women if they do not stop smoking or taking harmful beverages. A perfect plan during pregnancy will be that pregnant women need to get a list of harmful foods and beverages that can affect their pregnancy.

Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

Here are some worst foods that can affect the health of pregnant women as well as the growth of the baby inside your belly:

1- Foods that are High in Mercury

If you make a list of the most toxic elements, mercury would be at the top. The safest levels of this element in the body are not known. This element is usually present in polluted water. Therefore, it is essential for pregnant women to not use foods that even contain this element in lower amounts.

If the levels of mercury are high in the body or you consume it in higher amounts, then it can be toxic to your immune system. Additionally, it can also affect the health of the kidneys in anyone, especially pregnant women. If pregnant women consume mercury, then it can also affect children’s growth. Even, in lower amounts, it will be harmful during pregnancy.

As mentioned previously, there is a high presence of mercury in polluted seas. Sea fish or other foods can contain mercury in higher amounts. Therefore, gynecologists recommend that it is good for pregnant women as well as breastfeeding mothers to avoid using mercury due to its severe side effects.

Fish like sharks, marlins, and swordfish can be particularly high in this toxic element. However, it is worth providing you with this information that not every fish is high in mercury. There are only certain types of fish that are particularly high in mercury.

Consulting your gynecologist or general physician will be a good idea to know which type of fish will be effective for you during pregnancy. Fish that are not high in mercury will be more effective to maintain health because they contain many essential nutrients.

2- Raw Milk or Juices

You will see a number of people around you who always tout the benefits of raw milk as well as raw juices. However, they don’t understand that there can be some harmful effects attached to it if pregnant women use raw milk or juices. 

When you consume raw milk there are high risks of listeriosis which is a bacterial infection. This infection can be really dangerous to your baby. When you become pregnant there is a suppression on your immune system. Therefore, reducing the consumption the raw milk is a must during pregnancy.

There are a number of bacteria that are high in raw milk and juices as well as in some other dairy products. When you continue to use these products, the number of bacteria tends to grow in your body. Even, these bacteria can grow when you put these products in the refrigerator.

3- Undercooked or Raw Meat

There are the same issues with undercooked or raw meat as you experience with raw fish. When you eat raw or undercooked meat, a number of bacteria or parasites grow in the body. These bacteria and parasites increase in the body.

The growth of bacteria or parasites can threaten the life of the baby that is inside your belly. In addition, these bacteria and parasites can also lead to many neurological disorders such as epilepsy as well as blindness.

Therefore, it is a must for pregnant to fully cook the meat before eating. If your gynecologist or medical specialist asks you to stop eating meat, then don’t eat it at all.