Avoiding certain foods during pregnancy can help you feel your best!
The beginning of a pregnancy can be an exciting time, but it comes with the responsibility of providing a safe and healthy environment for another human being. While every woman and every pregnancy is unique, there are some foods that it is sensible to avoid during the first trimester of pregnancy. The fetus goes through many critical developmental processes during weeks four to 10 of a pregnancy, so it is especially important to avoid any potential health risks during this time.
Alcohol
Alcoholic drinks should, of course, be avoided during not only the first trimester, but through the entire pregnancy. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy may result in fetal alcohol syndrome, a condition characterized by growth retardation, neurological deficiencies and facial deformities. Cooking foods that use alcohol as an ingredient will reduce the alcohol content down to 5 percent to 85 percent of the original alcohol content. Generally, the longer the cooking time and the more the dish is stirred, the less alcohol will remain when the dish is eaten.
Caffeine
Even though several big cups of coffee may seem like just the thing to counteract first-trimester fatigue, too much caffeine during pregnancy may not be a good idea. Caffeine consumption may be linked with an increased risk of miscarriage, as well as reduced birth weight. Caffeine also interferes with absorption of iron, a mineral that is especially important during pregnancy, and caffeine acts as a diuretic, which means that it is dehydrating. Foods that contain caffeine include drinks such as coffee, tea, some soft drinks and hot chocolate. Caffeine-containing foods include chocolate and some energy bars or energy candies.
Food-Poisoning Risks
Some foods present a risk of contamination with microorganisms that can cause food poisoning. One of these is the isteria bacterium. According to American Pregnancy, isteria has the ability to cross the placenta, "and may infect the baby, leading to infection or blood poisoning, which may be life-threatening." Foods that are listeria risks include deli meat; smoked seafood; soft cheeses such as brie, feta, camembert and roquefort; unpasteurized milk and refrigerated pate or meat spreads. Also, raw meat, raw eggs and raw shellfish may be contaminated with coliform bacteria, toxoplasmosis and salmonella. In the case of shellfish there is also a risk of contamination with toxic algae, such as those associated with red blooms.
Heavy Metals
Heavy metals, such as mercury, have been linked to developmental delays and brain damage. Fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish are all associated with high levels of mercury.
Morning Sickness-Exacerbating Foods
The degree of morning sickness experienced during the first trimester and the foods that trigger it are unique to each woman. Some common triggers of morning sickness include spicy foods, onions, cabbage, cauliflower, strong-smelling foods such as coffee, and high-fat foods that are slow to digest such as sausages, fried eggs or french fries.
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