You have found out that your family is soon going to be graced by the presence of a little bundle of joy. Now all your days are filled with preparing for the new arrival and one of the first things you take note of is the dos and don’ts of pregnancy. Topping the list of the don’ts is the restrictions you have to put on what you consume. If you are an expectant mother, this blog will shed light on what foods to avoid during pregnancy and why. Take a look!

5 foods to avoid while pregnant

Good food is the nutrition that will not only make you healthier during pregnancy but will also be the source of the life growing inside your womb. What you eat directly influences the growth and development of the foetus. Hence, it is recommended you take note of the following dietary restrictions that you must maintain to ensure the foetus grows in a hospitable and nourishing environment. 

• Alcohol: Alcohol is an absolute NO for pregnant women. As soon as you find out you are pregnant, it would be ideal that you give up alcohol. Consumption of alcohol, even in the early stages of your pregnancy, can affect the development of the foetus. Alcohol consumption has reported many newborn babies to be born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). This can cause learning disabilities or birth defects in the child. While the adult body is not as adversely affected by alcohol consumption, it has drastic effects on the foetus. This is because the metabolism of a foetus is much slower than the adult body. As a result, alcohol consumption interferes with the nutrition and oxygen being delivered to the foetus.
• Raw meat: Pregnant or not, uncooked or undercooked meat is never a good idea. However, the risks are more severe when you are pregnant. Undercooked or uncooked poultry, beef, seafood and pork contain bacterias such as salmonella, coliform and toxoplasmosis. Over the years, the expectant mother’s body might have developed some sort of immunity, however, the baby growing inside of you has not. While the temptation of a medium-rare steak is unavoidable, to ensure that your baby is healthy and safe, you will have to make the sacrifice.
• Caffeine: Lo and behold, the much talked about “caffeine” has made it to the list. Though it shouldn’t surprise you as much as we are making it sound. If you are an ardent caffeine-lover, this is a change that you would ideally have to bring about in your lifestyle. While one cup of coffee or tea a day is acceptable, you can no longer indulge in it four to five times a day. Consuming excessive amounts of caffeine can affect your foetus adversely. Caffeine can give rise to the possibility of risks such as birth defects, low birth-weight and premature labour. While the task of cutting down caffeine completely might not be feasible for coffee and tea lovers, we advise limiting the consumption to an absolute minimum. On the other hand, ensure that other caffeine-rich drinks such as soda and energy drinks are obliterated from your diet. 
• Unwashed fruits and vegetables: Whether you are pregnant or not, consuming unwashed fruits and vegetables is not a good idea. However, pregnant women run a high risk of being adversely affected by its consumption. The surface of fruits and vegetables can be contaminated at any point, whether it is during production, harvesting, transportation or at the grocery store. Consuming unwashed fruits and vegetables is especially harmful as they are often exposed to pesticides during harvesting. Furthermore, the surface may contain a variety of parasites and bacteria such as toxoplasma, listeria and E. coli. These bacterias and parasites might not have any effect during the birth, however, can affect the child’s development later in life. 
• Unpasteurised milk and raw eggs: Most food items in their raw form run the risk of containing harmful bacteria that can be dangerous for the foetus growing inside your womb. Included in this list are unpasteurised milk and raw eggs. Unpasteurised milk usually contains a bacteria called listeria which can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth. Similarly, consuming raw eggs or undercooked eggs run the risk of you or the baby getting salmonella, which can be life-threatening. 

While you must keep track of what foods to avoid when pregnant, certain superfoods can help you through your pregnancy journey. The duration from the point of conception to the day of delivery includes a lot of ups and downs in the life of an expectant mother. To make it easier to deal with all that comes with the happiness of becoming a mother, we will keep sharing more useful information on our blogs.

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