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Foods To Avoid During Early Pregnancy

Motherhood is the epitome of a woman's life. Pregnancy is a time of upheaval, when one minute you might feel jubilant and glowing and the next minute you feel flabby and frustrated.

It is a time of great care and concern as you prepare for your bundle of joy. Selecting the right food during your pregnancy is the best way to ensure you have a happy and healthy experience.

Among the many concerns that arise during your pregnancy, the first and foremost one is what to eat and what not to eat.

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People tend to give you different and confusing advice related to your pregnancy diet. There are several foods to avoid during the first trimester, and your diet must ensure that the unborn child gets all the essential nutrients.

During your pregnancy you must eat right and gain weight gradually. This is a time when women are prone to all kinds of cravings or urges.

So, you must be aware of the kind of foods to avoid during early pregnancy. There are many kinds of food you must say goodbye to, for the health and well being of your unborn child. Here is a list of foods to avoid during early pregnancy.

Papaya and pineapple

Papaya and pineapple

Pregnancy is a time when you must hike up your consumption of veggies and fruits. But there are a few that come under foods to avoid during early pregnancy like papaya, pineapple and grapes.

Fish

Fish

Seafood and certain types of fish with high mercury content like swordfish, shark and king mackerel are types of foods to avoid during first trimester. You must take care not to eat any raw or undercooked fish such as the kind you find in sushi.

Meat

Meat

Raw and undercooked meat is another among foods to avoid during first trimester. Make sure that the meat is well cooked and consume while it is still hot. It would be good to avoid processed meat since pregnant women are more prone to food poisoning.

Raw Milk

Raw Milk

Milk is a source of essential proteins and minerals, but pregnant women must take care that they drink only pasteurized milk. Unpasteurized or raw milk is a food to avoid during early pregnancy.

Eggs

Eggs

There are many of us who like our eggs runny. But raw or undercooked eggs fall under the category of foods to avoid during early pregnancy. Anything that contains raw eggs must also be avoided like raw cookie dough, cake batter, homemade sauces etc.

Cheese

Cheese

Not all cheeses are harmful, but mould ripened cheese and soft cheese made with unpasteurized milk is best avoided during early pregnancy. If you want soft cheese, make sure that it is made from pasteurized milk.

Fresh juice from shops

Fresh juice from shops

Often the freshly squeezed juice that we get from vendors may not be hygienic. This is harmful to a pregnant woman and comes under foods to avoid during early pregnancy. Try making them at home.

Liver and liver products

Liver and liver products

Among foods to avoid during first trimester are liver and liver products like pâté and liver sausage. They contain high concentrations of vitamin A which can be harmful to the baby during the first three months.

Caffeine

Caffeine

Although caffeine does not come under the category of foods to avoid during early pregnancy, pregnant women are advised to limit their caffeine consumption. Caffeine can be found in tea, coffee, soft drinks, chocolate etc.

Alcohol

Alcohol

Alcohol is highly harmful to the development of the baby and hence is among the foods to avoid during early pregnancy. It is advisable to avoid other alcoholic beverages as well.

Story first published: Wednesday, January 22, 2014, 18:03 [IST]
Read more about: prenatal pregnancy