Pregnant women certainly want to always give the best for their prospective children. One of the most important attempts to achieve that goal is to keep your food choices daily. Good nutrition intake will help your child grow healthy and smart since the womb.
The following foods are forbidden for expectant mothers:
1. Fish Containing High Mercury
Fish and other aquatic animals are a protein source that is also rich in omega-3. Both of these nutrients are good for baby growing. However, the FDA as a food and drug control agency in the United States classifies some types of seafood as food that is forbidden for pregnant women as it contains mercury.
Actually, almost all fish and aquatic animals contain mercury. Because, this chemical compound is the waste that most pollutes the waters. However, there are some of the most high types of mercury content.
The types of mercury-high fish that include pregnant women's dietary restrictions are sharks, king mackerel, tuna bigeye, swordfish or sword, and yellowfin tuna. These fishes may rarely be traded in Indonesia, but there is no harm to you knowing it.
Some of the more common types of seafood in Indonesia are also reported to have high enough mercury content (not as high as the fish mentioned above). Examples include prawns, salmon, tuna, sardines, catfish, tilapia, and trout. The bigger the size of fish, the more mercury they contain.
High mercury content can cause interference in infant brain development. Then we recommend that you limit the consumption of these fish up to 2 times per week. Find out more about how to reduce mercury exposure from fish and seafood.
2. Sushi
For you who are sushi and sashimi, it's best to eat this typical Japanese meal during pregnancy. Sushi and sashimi are included in the list of pregnant mothers ' dietary restrictions.
Raw or cooked half-baked Seafood can endanger the fetus because there are sometimes parasitic worms in their flesh. What if the place and the preparation process is not sterile. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid raw fish and shells such as those that are usually in sushi and sashimi.
Cook the fish at a temperature of 63 ยบ Celsius until cooked perfectly. Cook shrimp, lobster, and clams until the flesh changes color to milky white. Cook shells until the shell is wide open.
3. Half-cooked Steak
The taste of people while enjoying steak can vary. Some are accustomed to the maturity levels of rare (raw), medium rare (half-cooked), medium well (rather mature), and well done.
In terms of the culinary itself, the delicious steak meat is cooked medium rare. However, pregnant women should avoid it. Beef cooked or undercooked is a dietary concern for pregnant women. Undercooked meats most likely still contain toxoplasmosis parasites that are harmful to the fetus.
Not just beef. Food from pork and poultry (chicken, bird, turkey, duck) cooked half-baked is also a dietary for pregnant women. Cook meat until perfectly cooked aka well done, until dry and no red fluid. If necessary, use a cookthermometer to ensure the maturity level of the meat.
4. Half-cooked Eggs
Boiled eggs and half-cooked beef eggs, even also the 3/4 ripe, including food that is forbidden for pregnant women. Why? The eggs are generally not perfectly ripe and still contain active Salmonella bakeri that can infect you.
The mother's salmonella infections can cause vomiting (vomiting and diarrhea). There are also reports of salmonella bacteria that cause infection with the obactic fluid. This infection is rare, but can be serious and cause miscarriage.
For the fetus, Salmonella infections are equally beneficial. Salmonella can penetrate the placenta and infect the fetus, but the case is also very rare.
To be safe, avoid eating half eggs, foods containing raw eggs, and mayonnaise made by themselves. Cook eggs until cooked, yellow and white egg dense.
5. Unpasteurised Milk
Milk is a healthy drink. Pregnant women need to drink milk to meet the needs of vitamins and minerals and calcium daily. However, unpasteurised animal milk is included in foods and beverages that are forbidden for pregnant women.
Unpasteurised milk can cause poisoning, as it may still contain bacteria in it. Avoid drinking pure raw milk that has not been pasteurised, be it cow's milk or raw goat's milk.
Healthy milk for the consumption of pregnant women is pasteurized milk that has been through the process of heating.
6. Raw or Unpasteurised Fruit Juice
Just like non-pasteurised milk, the unpasteurised ready-to-drink juices include a prohibition for pregnant women. It also includes non-pasteurised bottled juices and street food juices which are not washed in advance.
This is because the juice can contain dangerous E. coli and Salmonella bacteria. If you want to drink juice, you should make yourself at home. That way, you can ensure the sterility of the juice maker and the freshness of the fruit.
Wash fruits and vegetables cleanly with a special cleanser. Rinse with clean water or drinking water. Do not forget to dispose of vegetables or fruits that are already black or brown.
7. Animal Hearts
According to Pregnancy Baby, innards like chicken liver or beef liver also include food that is forbidden for pregnant women. The reason, the food contains high vitamin A.
Vitamin A is good, but excessive consumption of vitamin A can harm the fetus. It is recommended to limit liver consumption of hwan during pregnancy.
8. Caffeine
Caffeine is one of the lists of foods and beverages that are forbidden for pregnant women. Especially if it is excessive. Therefore, caffeine can penetrate the placenta and cause disruption to the baby's heartbeat.
Some studies have also shown that high consumption of caffeine during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, low birth babies ' weight, and stillbirth babies. However, it still requires further research.
It is recommended to limit consumption of caffeine-containing beverages and foods such as coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks during pregnancy.
9. Alcohol
Pregnant women who drink alcohol have a higher risk of miscarriage and stillbirth babies. Drinking a little alcohol can even have an impact on the disruption of infant brain development.
Although not food, alcohol is forbidden for pregnant women because it can cause fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal Alcohol syndrome is a syndrome that can cause facial abnormalities, heart disorders, and mental retardation of children since the womb.
10. Vitamins and Fish Oil Supplements
In addition to food, there are also vitamins that are forbidden to pregnant mothers too much consumption. Supplements, vitamins, and fish oils that contain vitamin A are well-discontinued when they are pregnant.
Too much vitamin A intake can harm the fetus. We recommend that you consult your doctor if you want to take supplements.
11. Herbs
Food or drink herbs are forbidden for pregnant women and should be avoided. You used to drink herbal tea, herbs, and other alternative medicine herbs during pregnancy.
According to American Pregnancy, pregnant women do not consume certain herbs such as ephedra or Efedrina, Dong Quai, Rosemary, and kencur. Some of these types can have a bad impact if consumed like drugs, or in many quantities. Dong Quai, for example, can cause uterine stimulant effects that can create contractions
In addition to research in America, other herbs such as aloe vera, ginseng, and dandelion tea and chamomile tea are also a dietary ingredient for pregnant women.
It is recommended to drink tea from the first tea leaves instead of having to consume herbal tea. Expectant mothers should also consult a physician when going to use any type of herb.
12. Fast Food
Like it or not, fast food such as burgers, French fries, and fried chicken are also prohibited for pregnant women.
This is because fast food foods contain trans fats that can increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, large fetal size (macrosomia), and premature delivery.
13. Unwashed Vegetables
Consuming unwashed vegetables can be harmful to pregnant women. Even in normal or not pregnant conditions, consuming it can be harmful.
Unwashed vegetables have a high probability of contaminated toksoplasmic bacteria that do often breed in vegetables and soils.
14. Soft Cheese
This type of soft cheese import cheese is found to contain listeria which can cause miscarriage, fetal developmental delay, as well as infection.
It's a good idea to avoid consuming soft cheeses such as Brie cheese, Camembert, Roquefort, Feta, Gorgonzola, and Mexican cheeses including queso blanco and queso fresco. In addition, all cheeses made of unpasteurised milk are considered unsafe for pregnant women.