A healthy, balanced, nutritious diet is crucial for women during pregnancy. It’s important to eat the right food because everything you consume gets shared with the baby growing inside you. Some foods to avoid during pregnancy as they can harm your little one.
Here’s a general list of foods to avoid during pregnancy:
- Raw Papaya:
It is advised by doctors to not consume raw or unripe papaya through the period of pregnancy. Raw or unripe papaya consists of a substance called Latex which can result in uterine contractions. The uterine contractions can lead to miscarriage in early pregnancy. Consuming raw papaya can also cause fetal developmental issues because of the papain and pepsin that it contains.
- Tulsi Leaves:
Tulsi should be strictly avoided during pregnancy. It contains high mercury levels that are known to cause contractions and harm the mother and the developing baby.
- Aloe Vera:
You must also avoid the consumption of aloe vera or its juice. Eating or drinking, aloe vera including its juice, can cause uterine contractions and drop blood sugar levels. It can sometimes also cause vomiting or diarrhoea, resulting in loss of electrolytes and essential minerals from the body.
- Fenugreek Seeds / Methi Dana:
Fenugreek seed, better known as methi dana, provides heat to the body and starts menstruation and treats hormonal disorders. Therefore, it should be avoided as its overconsumption could induce contractions. However, after delivery, it is beneficial to consume methi dana as it helps milk production for breastfeeding.
- Pineapple:
It is strictly recommended to avoid pineapple during pregnancy, especially during the early stages. Pineapple contains Bromelain that can soften the cervix and cause uterine contractions.
- Raw or Uncooked Eggs:
Raw or uncooked eggs must be avoided entirely as they may contain the Salmonella virus. Food items like mayonnaise, soups like egg drop, mousse, homemade desserts, homemade sauces, raw cookie dough, etc., also contain uncooked eggs and thus must be avoided.
- High Salt Items:
You must also avoid high salt items like chips, namkeen, processed Cheese, biscuits, pickles, etc. High salt food items can cause water retention, and this can be harmful.
- Strictly Avoid Street Food and Restaurant Food:
During pregnancy, you may crave to consume street food that can be spicy and tangy in its preparation, but hygiene is the biggest concern. It can be extremely harmful to have a stomach infection or diarrhoea during this time. Ingestion and heat burn are also challenging to deal with during pregnancy.
- Avoid Chinese Food:
Chinese food contains monosodium glutamate (MSG), and it can be harmful to the fetus development and can cause congenital disabilities.
The ingredients used in Chinese food like soya sauce are very high in salt and may cause high blood pressure.
- Food Made of Wheat Flour:
During pregnancy, it is recommended to avoid processed food and wheat flour-based products like bread, pizza, pasta, cookies, etc. Processed food has preservatives and chemicals to increase its shelf life which can be harmful to your baby’s health.
- Raw uncooked meat and chicken:
If you are a non-vegetarian, make sure to eat meats like lamb, goat, beef, and chicken after cooking at least 73 degrees Celsius to kill certain parasites that could be present and could food poisoning in expectant mothers.
- Unpasteurized milk and its product:
Milk is a significant source of nutrition during pregnancy but never use unpasteurized milk. Unpasteurized milk and its products t may carry disease-causing microbes which can harm the fetus’s development. Make sure to boil the unpasteurized milk before consuming it.
Read related- Unusual Early Pregnancy Symptoms – A Checklist
List of food items To Be Completely Avoided during Pregnancy
See the below list to see what not to eat in pregnancy include:
- Pineapple
- Tulsi Leaves
- Raw / Uncooked eggs
- Raw meats & poultry
- Artificial Sweeteners
- Alcohol
- Unpasteurized milk
- Excess coffee and tea
- Chinese Food
- Seafood and certain fish
- Canned / Readymade / Frozen Food
- Herbal Teas and Kadha
- Soft Cheese like feta cheese
- High Salt
Fruits to avoid during pregnancy mainly include raw papaya. You should remember which food to avoid during pregnancy so that you can be extra careful during the birth giving process of your baby.
We hope this blog helped increase your understanding of foods to avoid during pregnancy. Again, if you have any further questions, please feel free to consult Meddo’s top gynecologists for more advice.
