What not to eat?
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BrandiCanucks
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Peanut Butter is fine. It's only recommended not to if you or you immediate family is at risk of a peanut allergy.
Also avoid deli meats as they carry listeria, a bacteria that can make you and your baby very ill. Avoid alcohol, and anything unpasteurized.
Also avoid deli meats as they carry listeria, a bacteria that can make you and your baby very ill. Avoid alcohol, and anything unpasteurized.
Janeysaney
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Hi, take a look at the NHS website https://www.nhs.uk/chq/Pages/917.aspx?CategoryID=54&SubCategoryID=130
I found it quite useful. Hope that helps!
I found it quite useful. Hope that helps!
meg79
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Avoiding Deli meats is only for those in the US and Canada. For some reason their food hygiene standards are different to the UK's and I've been enjoying them throughout my pregnancy! The midwife will give you a list at your booking appointment or you can check the link given by Janeysaney above. It really isn't that extensive and there are lots of things you can still enjoy! x
mislaww
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Ugh. Welcome to a depressing and controversial subject! It depends on who you ask, and it depends on the risks you're willing to take!
Here is a super cautious list - use your own judgment. Some of the stuff is based on minimal research and preliminary studis. I know there are millions of women who've eaten these things and had perfectly healthy babies. Most of the concerns are for food poisoning - and as you may have experienced, getting food poisoning is a matter of bad luck - only about 1 in 25,000 raw eggs contains salmonella, for example. Others of these concerns are things that you wouldn't necessarily link to the food later, and you'll still have a healthy baby (like eating licorice affects the child's IQ and behaviour). So the fact that someone had a healthy baby eating these things may just be a matter of good luck. I tend to have bad luck so....
I'm NOT criticising anyone who chooses to eat these things, and Lord knows I've slipped on some of these things, I'm just putting it out there!
In no particular order....
The deli meat thing is a caution thing - while listeria is rare anywhere, it's very dangerous to fetuses as it passes right through the placenta and can kill without you ever getting sick! It's not a problem with Canada/US's health standards, it's just that Canada/US govts are being more cautious about it. Here's a link to a UK source saying no to deli meats: https://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Listeriosis.htm However, it might be okay to eat them if heated, except, see the next point.
Due to the nitrates in deli meats (which unravel DNA! I don't know what that means but it sounds scary!) apparently, you should avoid not only deli meat, but also ham and gasp! bacon. You can, however, find nitrate free deli meats etc. at farmer's markets or at organic food markets. They taste better anyway!
Soft cheeses are a no, including blue cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese, Mexican cheeses, brie, and camembert UNLESS they are made with pasteurized milk. Here in Canada, most of them are made with pasteurized mik. This is again a listeria thing - so if you heat your brie, you're fine.
Apparently, soft serve ice cream is a no, again for listeria concerns.
Raw bean sprouts are a no, the risk is e coli. In Canada, the government here says no one should eat them ever!
Raw eggs includes partly cooked eggs - your yolks are supposed to be fully cooked. This is because of the risk of salmonella - realistically this risk is small. Remember, no raw eggs includes no mayo (unless commercially prepared), no hollandaise sauce, no cookie dough, no meringue, no fun.
Beef should be cooked to medium or more. All other meats should be cooked to an internal temp of 165F, which means shoe leather.
Shark, king mackerel, and swordfish are a no because they contain too much mercury. You can have tuna, but limit it to 2 tins a week.
No raw oysters or any other raw seafood, including sushi (although I've heard it's okay if the fish has been frozen).
No smoked meats or fish unless they are also cooked.
No pate - again, listeria. Also you should limit liver to one serving a week (too much vitamin A) but some people say none at all!
Limit pennyroyal tea, raspberry leaf, chamomile, hibiscus, as these may induce miscarriage in large amounts. No ginseng. No black licorice. Probably no green tea. Maybe even no cayenne! Jeez.
No tofu or soy products, or at least limit them, as the plant hormones in them may interfere with the baby's development, especially if you're team blue.
No microwave popcorn. I don't even remember why, but it's something about the chemical in the lining getting into the food. For a similar reason, avoid cooking food in plastic (this leaches BPA into your food, and this disrupts hormones).
Limit caffeine to 200mg or less per day, which is one cup of coffee or maybe 2 cups of caffeinated tea. No decaffeinated coffee unless it's swiss water process.
No aspartame - this is based on a huge new study, so new it's not included in a lot of avoidance lists - https://www.mpwhi.com/aspartame_jumps_premature_births.htm
I noticed the link I gave above on listeria also said no cold salads or salad bars, which is new to me, but makes sense. I hate salad, so this is not a problem for me. Careful of leftovers or dodgy restaurants that might cause food poisoning and be super careful about food safety at home re: the food poisoning problem.
You'll note even my super cautious list does not include avoiding peanut butter or other nuts - unless you have a family history of food allergies. In which case, speak to your doctor about this issue.
I won't even get into the alcohol debate....
And if you happen to be Chinese, you'll also need to avoid spicy food, deep fried food and all cold food, including foods that are actually hot but are considered cold, such as tofu or mushrooms.... I'm half, so personally I only abide by this half the time...
All of it is your judgment call. Congrats on your BFP and don't let that ridiculous list get in the way of enjoying being preggo!
Here is a super cautious list - use your own judgment. Some of the stuff is based on minimal research and preliminary studis. I know there are millions of women who've eaten these things and had perfectly healthy babies. Most of the concerns are for food poisoning - and as you may have experienced, getting food poisoning is a matter of bad luck - only about 1 in 25,000 raw eggs contains salmonella, for example. Others of these concerns are things that you wouldn't necessarily link to the food later, and you'll still have a healthy baby (like eating licorice affects the child's IQ and behaviour). So the fact that someone had a healthy baby eating these things may just be a matter of good luck. I tend to have bad luck so....
I'm NOT criticising anyone who chooses to eat these things, and Lord knows I've slipped on some of these things, I'm just putting it out there!
In no particular order....
The deli meat thing is a caution thing - while listeria is rare anywhere, it's very dangerous to fetuses as it passes right through the placenta and can kill without you ever getting sick! It's not a problem with Canada/US's health standards, it's just that Canada/US govts are being more cautious about it. Here's a link to a UK source saying no to deli meats: https://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/Listeriosis.htm However, it might be okay to eat them if heated, except, see the next point.
Due to the nitrates in deli meats (which unravel DNA! I don't know what that means but it sounds scary!) apparently, you should avoid not only deli meat, but also ham and gasp! bacon. You can, however, find nitrate free deli meats etc. at farmer's markets or at organic food markets. They taste better anyway!
Soft cheeses are a no, including blue cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese, Mexican cheeses, brie, and camembert UNLESS they are made with pasteurized milk. Here in Canada, most of them are made with pasteurized mik. This is again a listeria thing - so if you heat your brie, you're fine.
Apparently, soft serve ice cream is a no, again for listeria concerns.
Raw bean sprouts are a no, the risk is e coli. In Canada, the government here says no one should eat them ever!
Raw eggs includes partly cooked eggs - your yolks are supposed to be fully cooked. This is because of the risk of salmonella - realistically this risk is small. Remember, no raw eggs includes no mayo (unless commercially prepared), no hollandaise sauce, no cookie dough, no meringue, no fun.
Beef should be cooked to medium or more. All other meats should be cooked to an internal temp of 165F, which means shoe leather.
Shark, king mackerel, and swordfish are a no because they contain too much mercury. You can have tuna, but limit it to 2 tins a week.
No raw oysters or any other raw seafood, including sushi (although I've heard it's okay if the fish has been frozen).
No smoked meats or fish unless they are also cooked.
No pate - again, listeria. Also you should limit liver to one serving a week (too much vitamin A) but some people say none at all!
Limit pennyroyal tea, raspberry leaf, chamomile, hibiscus, as these may induce miscarriage in large amounts. No ginseng. No black licorice. Probably no green tea. Maybe even no cayenne! Jeez.
No tofu or soy products, or at least limit them, as the plant hormones in them may interfere with the baby's development, especially if you're team blue.
No microwave popcorn. I don't even remember why, but it's something about the chemical in the lining getting into the food. For a similar reason, avoid cooking food in plastic (this leaches BPA into your food, and this disrupts hormones).
Limit caffeine to 200mg or less per day, which is one cup of coffee or maybe 2 cups of caffeinated tea. No decaffeinated coffee unless it's swiss water process.
No aspartame - this is based on a huge new study, so new it's not included in a lot of avoidance lists - https://www.mpwhi.com/aspartame_jumps_premature_births.htm
I noticed the link I gave above on listeria also said no cold salads or salad bars, which is new to me, but makes sense. I hate salad, so this is not a problem for me. Careful of leftovers or dodgy restaurants that might cause food poisoning and be super careful about food safety at home re: the food poisoning problem.
You'll note even my super cautious list does not include avoiding peanut butter or other nuts - unless you have a family history of food allergies. In which case, speak to your doctor about this issue.
I won't even get into the alcohol debate....
And if you happen to be Chinese, you'll also need to avoid spicy food, deep fried food and all cold food, including foods that are actually hot but are considered cold, such as tofu or mushrooms.... I'm half, so personally I only abide by this half the time...
All of it is your judgment call. Congrats on your BFP and don't let that ridiculous list get in the way of enjoying being preggo!
BrandiCanucks
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Wow! That list is more extensive than I thought it was! Thank you for that.
Do you know why they say to avoid spicy foods if you're Chinese? Does it have to do with genetics or something else?
Do you know why they say to avoid spicy foods if you're Chinese? Does it have to do with genetics or something else?
mislaww
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Ha! I know - it's depressingly long. I keep finding out new things, too.
I should say - ladies, please don't freak out if you've eaten some of these things - baby's just fine. Also, a lot of the no no's like licorice or aspartame are based on studies where the people ate it all the time.
Brandi, as for the Chinese thing, no it's not genetics! It's Traditional Chinese Medicine. Spicy food apparently disturbs the baby. That might explain why my LO is so squirmy!
I should say - ladies, please don't freak out if you've eaten some of these things - baby's just fine. Also, a lot of the no no's like licorice or aspartame are based on studies where the people ate it all the time.
Brandi, as for the Chinese thing, no it's not genetics! It's Traditional Chinese Medicine. Spicy food apparently disturbs the baby. That might explain why my LO is so squirmy!
BrandiCanucks
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So I should be fine then? I'm not Chinese (or at least I don't think so, lol) but my biggest craving, next to caesar salad is spicy chicken.
BrandiCanucks
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Awesome! Great! Thank you..I guess it goes to show that even when you're on your 5th pregnancy, you still have a lot to learn
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