Pregnancy Diet Don'ts

Foods to Avoid While You're Expecting By Dr. Aneema Van Groenou

The main rule of healthy eating during pregnancy is having a balanced diet. This means your diet should include plenty of fruits and vegetables, protein, grains and lots of hydrating fluids.

But what are foods you should try to avoid during pregnancy? Though there are a couple of things that are genuinely dangerous for your pregnancy, there are few absolute rules. This means that if you happened to eat something on this list last week, don't worry. Your baby will be fine. Just adjust your diet so you can avoid these things in the future.

I'm giving you the nitty gritty details here. But don't let this detailed list of foods to avoid scare you. It all boils down to one thing: Good food is good for you.

Junk Food Wars
It's not news to you that some of the foods you crave during pregnancy are not all that good for you. They just give you empty calories (and extra pounds) without the nutritional benefits of healthier foods. I know, some nacho chips or a caramel candy bar here and there can be impossible to resist, but my advice is to curb your cravings: Try an apple instead of a doughnut.

Caffeine and Alcohol
These two substances can turn up in unexpected places, like a liqueur-filled truffle or coffee ice cream. And be aware that chocolate is also high in caffeine, so watch that sweet tooth. Caffeine and alcohol actually prevent absorption of folic acid and iron – two essential nutrients during pregnancy – and pull calcium out of your bones, not to mention that they also directly affect the fetus and can have long-term developmental effects.

Avoid Fats
Believe it or not, the average American diet is 37 percent fat. A healthy diet should be around 20 percent fat, even during pregnancy. To tell you the truth, you only need 5 percent fat in your diet to stay healthy. Believe me, you don't have to worry about not getting enough fat either. Practically all foods have some fat. Fruits have 3 to 14 percent fat, grains have 3 to 10 percent fat, and even veggies have 1 to 10 percent fat. So you can't avoid it. The good news is that your body does need some fat, and even a little cholesterol is important for your baby's development.

Food Additives
Many foods we enjoy are full of preservatives, flavor enhancers, colorings and even hormones and antibiotics. Surprised? Food additives help foods look and taste better – sometimes – and last longer on the shelf. Organic foods and produce have the fewest chemical residues and additives and often taste much better, too.

Most additives are safe during pregnancy. After all, the majority of women don't change their diets much during pregnancy and still have perfectly healthy babies. However, there are a few additives that you should watch out for. Read labels more carefully during pregnancy.

Additives to avoid include the following:

• MSG – Monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer in bouillon and Asian foods that can cause headaches and stomach upset.
• Artificial food colorings – Colorings are in many processed foods, and most are considered safe during pregnancy. The ones to avoid are: blue 1, blue 2, green 3, red 3 and yellow 6.
• Olestra (Olean) – It just hasn't been tested thoroughly enough to be recommended during pregnancy.
• Saccharin – It has not been shown to be safe in pregnancy.
• Cut the fat off red meat – Chemicals in animal diets often concentrate in the fat.

Unpasteurized Foods
Pasteurization eliminates bacteria from foods. Most of the milk and yogurt you buy in the grocery store is pasteurized. That's what you want during pregnancy. Some common foods that you may enjoy are not typically pasteurized, however. These include:

• Ciders and fresh-pressed juices – Check the labeling carefully to make sure they are pasteurized. Steer clear of roadside juices until after pregnancy.
• Smoothies – Some bottled smoothies and yogurt drinks are not pasteurized.
• "Raw milk" cheeses – Many delicious soft cheeses, like blue cheeses, brie, feta, Camembert, soft Mexican cheeses and some mozzarellas are not pasteurized. They can carry an illness called listeriosis, which can be dangerous in pregnancy, but is difficult to detect. So avoid the risk.

Food From the Sea
Fish is healthy, and I recommend you eat about 12 ounces of cooked fish per week.

There are some fish you do need to avoid during pregnancy, however, such as:

• Shellfish, like oysters, are not a good idea during pregnancy, because they may be contaminated with bacteria.
• Swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish may have elevated levels of methyl mercury, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and could harm the developing fetus.
• Self-caught freshwater fish can taste so good, but it often has more contaminants than commercially-caught fish. The EPA recommends you eat less than 6 cooked ounces per week of fish you caught yourself during pregnancy.
• Tropical fish, such as grouper, mahi mahi and amberjack, also may have some toxins that are not safe during pregnancy.
• I'm sorry to say that sushi and sashimi (and seared fish) are out of the question during pregnancy, too.

Safe Fruits and Vegetables
Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before popping them in your mouth. Also, simply avoid sprouts (like alfalfa or wheat sprouts), as these are commonly contaminated with bacteria like E. coli.

Uncooked or Cured Meats
Raw meats and eggs are risky during pregnancy because they can carry illness. So stay away from procciutto, runny eggs, shrimp cocktails and ceviche. Meats preserved with nitrites, such as salami, frankfurters, luncheon meats and smoked fish and meat, are also not a good idea.

Herbal Teas
Herbs may sound harmless, but many have potent effects, and some should be avoided during pregnancy. Stay away from raspberry tea, cohash, slippery elm, ginseng and green tea – these may stimulate contractions. Instead, try fruit, ginger or mint teas.

Avoid Dieting
As you gain weight during pregnancy, it's tempting to continue dieting. Don't do it. Nourishing a healthy, growing baby is your responsibility, and an imbalanced diet is a bad idea. So forget the high carbohydrates/low-fat diet or the high fat/no carbohydrate diet or the liquid diet or the supplements. You need at least three balanced meals a day. And the healthier they are, the healthier your weight will be – long term.

A vegetarian or a vegan diet is safe as long as you take supplements to get the nutrients you need (such as vitamin B12, folic acid, iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium and vitamin D), and make sure you get enough protein with each meal.

Stay Away From Poorly-Packaged or Stored Foods
Watch out for spoiled foods. Choose cans that are not dented or rusted. Sealed bottles should pop when you open them to release the vacuum.

Keep Your Food Safe
There are a few things you can do in the kitchen to be sure you are eating safe food.

• Eat hot food hot and cold food cold. It's as easy as it sounds: Eat right when the food comes off the stove. Any food that's been on the counter longer than two hours is not safe to eat.
• Check the labels for expiration dates, and use your nose to test if foods are spoiled. If in doubt, chuck it.
• Thaw in the refrigerator. Don't take out frozen foods to thaw on the counter all afternoon. Instead, put them in the fridge in the morning or defrost in the microwave right before cooking.
• Keep your cooking surfaces clean. Use smooth surfaces to cut meat.

A healthy pregnancy diet isn't about rules and regulations, it's about taking care of a growing baby with nutritious, balanced food. Sure, you'll veer off track now and then, but your good food habits now will last a lifetime – for you and your baby-to-be.

Want to see more?

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• Is Seafood Safe During Pregnancy?
• Household Hazards During Pregnancy: How to Protect Your Unborn Baby
• Talk about it!

About the Author: Dr. Aneema Van Groenou is a physician, freelance health writer and iParenting.com expert.