Food and pregnancy

When you are pregnant your aim is to live as healthy as possible drink a lot of water and steer clear from things that can possible harm the foetus, do you however know what these are?

Your main aim is to try and stay clear from foods that could have been contaminated, and have high bacterial risk. These are foods that are either raw or semi-cooked, and contains eggs, meats or fish. You also need to stay clear from foods which contains high mercury levels which are found in certain fish.

A couple of examples of some seemingly harmless foods are:

• unpasteurized milk, juices, and apple cider or products made with these as ingredients such as soft cheeses.
• raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs, including mousse, tiramisu, raw cookie dough, eggnog, homemade ice cream, and Caesar dressing
• raw or undercooked fish (sushi), shellfish, or meats
• pâté and meat spreads
• processed meats such as hot dogs and deli meats (these should be very well cooked before eating)
• fish that may contain high levels of mercury (shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and tuna steak). Limited amounts of canned fish although, preferably light, tuna are OK.

It is maybe already a good idea to source organic produce to cut down on the chemical use within the products and the production of products. Organic and free range products are not only healthy but they are more easily obtained in these days, not to mention how much you, your family and the environment benefit from them. 

In addition to ensuring that you eat the correct produce you also need to look at a healthy eating plan, and a switch to several smaller meals would ensure sustained blood-sugar levels. The idea is to ensure that you are eating healthy foods that will contribute to your daily vitamin and mineral intake as well as provide sustenance for you and the baby. Stay clear from empty calories as much as possible remember to match some protein with your snacks to ensure a balanced GI.

Source:
KidsHealth – retrieved 15 April 2009 - http://kidshealth.org/parent/question/infants/eating.html