10 foods that you should not eat during pregnancy

A Safe Pregnancy Diet for a  Healthy Baby
The food and drinks taken during pregnancy influences the health of the child.  Pregnancy affects the immune system of the woman and both the child and mother are susceptible to the bacteria and viruses caused by food. There are some bugs like Listeria and Toxoplasma can infect the new-born and cause serious diseases and health problems.

Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy
The pregnancy diet should include whole and lightly processed foods like grains, legumes, lean meats, low –fat dairy products fruits and vegetables.

• Undercooked animal foods like   raw oysters, clams, sushi, unpasteurized eggs, raw cookie and homemade cakes should be avoided as they may contain some bacteria, virus and parasites causing foodborne diseases.
• Hot Dogs, Luncheon Meats, and Unpasteurized Dairy Foods can contain bacteria which causes listeriosis which can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or other health problems in the new born. Besides these  some processed meats and seafood may also contain the bacteria – listeria
• Unpasteurized dairy foods like curd and cheese made from raw unpasteurized milk are also prone to listeria.
• Certain Seafood and Fish and large fish like shark, sword fish, and kingmackerel have a high content of mercury which interferes with the normal development of the baby’s brain and nervous system.
• Fishes caughtfrom rivers, lakes, ponds, and streams may contain industrial pollutants which can be dangerous forthe developing nervous system of the baby.
• Caffeinated Coffee can cross the placenta and have an effect on the baby’s heart rate. Doctor’s recommend a small amount of caffeine to some mothers but it is best to avoid it during pregnancy.
• Liver and all liver products like liver sausage and liver pate contain high amount of Vitamin A which can be related to birth defects in babies. A limited amount of Vitamin is Ok but high doses of multi-vitamin and fish liver supplements should be avoided by pregnant women.
• Uncooked Eggs should be avoided completely during pregnancy.  They pose a great risk of salmonella poisoning.
• Blue Cheese like queso fresco cheese can lead to some food borne diseases. It is made from unpasteurized milk and is linked with Listeriosis which can causefatal infection and also lead to miscarriage or still birth.
• Brie cheese and feta cheese, can pose potential health risks to the mother and unborn baby. These soft cheeses are made from unpasteurized milk and are commonly linked to foodborne illnesses.  The slightest form of this infection can lead to severe illness in the child, miscarriage or still birth.

There is a lot of controversy in selecting foods and so it becomes difficult to know which foods are safe during pregnancy. But whatever be the theory it must be remembered that foods that have a high content of mercury or Vitamin A must be avoided. They can pose a serious health problem in the baby. Foods that are known to cause listeriosis and salmonella poisoning must be avoided.  Other foods which a pregnant woman must avoid are unwashed vegetables, certain types of raw fish and alcohol.