Pregnancy is one of the beautiful and amazing journey in a woman’s life. During your pregnancy there are a few things that might stress you out, but eating shouldn’t be one of them. Unfortunately pregnancy affects your immune system, you and your unborn baby are more susceptible to the bacteria, viruses, and parasites that cause foodborne illness. So to facilitate a happy pregnancy, careful food habits needs to be infused in your system at an early stage. Here list of foods and beverages to avoid or minimize during pregnancy:

Some Varieties of Fish

Fish, which boasts omega-3 fatty acids that help baby’s brain development, is a great meal choice right now. But some varieties such as shark, swordfish, tuna and mackerel should not be consumed as it contain  high levels of methyl-mercury. Since it is found in polluted seas, large fish that live in these oceans can accumulate high amounts of mercury.Therefore, pregnant women are advised to avoid their consumption of high-mercury fish.

Raw Or Undercooked Eggs

Raw eggs, runny eggs and undercooked eggs are a big no-no. Raw eggs may be tainted with salmonella, a bacterium that can cause fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.

High Levels of Caffeine

Caffeine is the most commonly used psychoactive substance in the world, and is mainly found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and cocoa. High caffeine intake during pregnancy has been shown to restrict fetal growth and increase the risk of low birth weight at delivery.

Unpasteurized Milk, Cheese and Fruit Juice

Raw milk and unpasteurized cheese can contain an array of harmful bacteria, including Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli and Campylobacter. The same goes for unpasteurized juice, which is also prone to bacterial infections. To minimize the risk of infections, pregnant women are advised to consume only pasteurized milk, cheese and fruit juice.

Alcohol

Pregnant women are advised to completely avoid drinking alcohol, as it increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. Even a small amount can negatively impact your baby’s brain development.

Sugar-Rich Foods

During pregnancy women experience crazy cravings, this is absolutely normal. You should  be careful while consuming Ice creams and chocolates. As midnight snacks these may sound tempting, but in reality they will only increase the sugar content in you. It can led to complications like Gestational Diabetes.  So as to curb it, decrease your sugar intake especially during nine months.

Raw Vegetable Sprouts

You heard that sprouts are excellent sources of proteins and minerals? But, is this another food to avoid during pregnancy? Yes, it is true only when taken raw at this time of your life. When raw, sprouts can harbor harmful bacteria and viruses which can be a cause of bad food poisoning.

Instead eat these 6 superfoods to boost your growing baby’s brain development.

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