10 Foods to Stay Away from During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, women track their health as never before. There are a lot of products that you must exclude from your diet, as they can harm your future mother’s heart. Consuming such products every now and then will not lead to terrible consequences, but it is better to do without them.
Common recommendations about your nutrition during pregnancy
Contraindications to food for every pregnant woman is an individual question. Diet should be considered due to the health status of the body, the presence of any diseases and allergic manifestations on food.
But there are few common recommendations that apply to everyone. During pregnancy it is not recommended to use products with artificial additives, dyes, E-substances, to get involved in fast food, dishes from convenience foods and fast food products, smoked and canned foods. Also prohibited should be alcohol, carbonated drinks, tea, coffee, raw and semi-gray dishes, fatty meats and fish, and unpasteurized milk.
Products that must be excluded:
1. Refined sugar
Sugar and different candies contain a lot of carbohydrates which leads to fast weight gain. If you systematically consume refined sugar it causes high sugar level in the blood and as a result, disruption of the pancreas.
2. Celery
Celery is contraindicated during pregnancy. It contains a substance that can provoke miscarriages and premature labor, as it causes an increased rush of blood to the smooth muscles of the uterus. Centuries ago, it was a popular abortion option. In addition, celery causes increased gas formation. It can also cause allergic reactions due to the high content of essential oils.
3. Soft cheeses
You should limit the consumption of soft cheeses. They are made from unpasteurized milk, and it means that they may contain dangerous listeria bacterium. Especially cheeses with white or blue mold, like Roquefort, camembert, and brie can hurt your baby’s health. The exception to this is if you see “pasteurized” on the description label.
4. Fresh juices
Regardless of the obvious benefits of fresh juices, it’s better to avoid them during pregnancy. First of all, they are unpasteurized which means they may contain harmful bacterias including E. coli and salmonella. Secondly, they can increase acidity in the stomach and cause unpleasant heartburn, which affects most pregnant women.
5. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are very hard on our organism. Reducing the consumption of mushrooms isn’t just recommended for pregnant women but it’s something everyone should do. They are harder and take longer to digest. Mushrooms quickly absorb radiation and harmful substances and therefore are dangerous.
6. Beet
It is better not to use beets at all for women whom the doctor has diagnosed “an increased uterus tone”. Beet consumption can provoke premature birth and in the first few months even the threat of spontaneous abortion.
7. Grapes
During the later periods of your pregnancy, it is best to completely eliminate grapes. Despite the fact that they are useful and remove toxins from the body. Grapes also cause increased fermentation in the intestines and increased gas formation. Heaviness in the stomach and bloating are not the most pleasant symptoms to have for a pregnant woman.
8. Honey
What can be more useful than honey? But it’s better to limit or even eliminate it from your diet. Since it is a very strong allergen like citrus fruits, it can lead to unwanted congenital allergies in the unborn child.
9. Raw Seafood and Sushi
Raw seafood and fish (sushi, oysters) can be a source of pathogenic bacterias. Sushi can contain dangerous parasites. Tapeworms, penetrating into the body, feed on substances necessary for the development of the fetus, which can provoke premature birth. Most restaurants prepare high-quality sushi from pre-processed foods, but this is impossible to verify, so it’s not worth the risk.
10. Chocolate
Chocolate and desserts are strong stimulants for the central nervous system (CNS). During pregnancy, you should lower their consumption, due to the fact that it can cause a devastating effect on the unformed nervous system of the child.