what can't you eat when pregnant- the top 6 foods to avoid
TRANSCRIPT
A developing foetus depends entirelyon the availability and supply of
nutrients it receives from its mother.
The quality of these nutrients is determined by the mother’s eating
patterns and nutrient stores.
So then, it is particularly worrisome the average women does not receive adequate nutrition education during
pregnancy…
1. Avoid unsolicited dietary supplements
during pregnancy
Some supplements contain super-loaded quantities of
abortifacients… Compounds that induce
abortion.
Foods naturally high in abortifacient compounds
were used as contraception during the pre-pharmaceutical era.
The ‘Morning After Pill’ is a modern day abortifacient.
Fenugreek is a great example.
It is commonly used as a supplement to improve blood sugars and even to help
stimulate lactation after pregnancy. However…
When given to pregnant rats in moderate doses, Fenugreek is suspected of causing birth defects,
particularly related to spinal development.
Effects of abortifacient-like food supplements are limited to animal studies and anecdotes (casual
observation).
Ask you doctor or dietitian about
supplements first.
But it would be wise to avoid fenugreek supplementation during pregnancy, just to
be safe.
2. Avoid fish that are high in mercury, such
as Shark and Tuna
Excessive mercury in the blood is linked with both pregnancy complications and developmental
problems in infants…
Particularly brain development.
Shark, tuna, marlin and other predatory fish contain the largest sources of mercury in the human diet by far.
There certainly appears to be a linear relationship with mercury levels and IQ
deficit in children.
Put another way, IQ scores drop with increased mercury levels.
Some argue there are no safety concerns if the amount of selenium in a fish is
higher than its mercury content.
But there is no evidence for those protective effects on long-term mercury
exposure.
Also keep in mind regional differences. Species low in mercury (or high in
selenium) in one part of the world may not be in another.
Is it worth it?
The safest recommendation for pregnant women is to minimise all mercury exposure.
So if you must eat fish, go for non-predatory varieties like salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, and herring.
They contain the least mercury and considered safe to eat if servings are no more than 350
grams (12 oz) per week…
Once per week basically.
What about my Omega-3s?
Fish oil supplements are pretty much safe. Check the label or ask your Dietitian or
Doctor.
3. Steer clear of alcohol and large amounts of
caffeine
Teratogenic is the term used for any compounds and
substances that can disrupt the development of an embryo or foetus.
Some well-known teratogens include:
Alcohol Caffeine (especially during the first trimester)
Cocaine and methamphetamine
To be safe, complete avoidance of teratogenic substances during pregnancy is
strongly recommended.
It is well-established that the offspring of mothers consuming alcohol during
pregnancy suffer from developmental delays and behavioural changes.
Caffeine is another teratogenic substance that is not entirely safe.
It is a psychoactive substance; one that crosses the placenta to the baby.
While you may be tolerant to the caffeine in your morning coffee, your child is not.
Many leading health organisations recommend caffeine intake be limited to less than 200 mg
per day if pregnant.
That’s equal to just one 350 ml (12 oz) cup of coffee.
Soz.
4. Limit your intake of dairy foods,
particularly milk
Cow’s milk is more than just a nutrient for mammals; whether
cows or humans…
Because unlike meat and fish, which are structural proteins,
cow’s milk is a signalling protein.
The signalling properties of cow’s milk protein activates the nutrient-sensitive protein
complex mTORC1.
mTORC1 is a key regulator of cell growth, formation and metabolic programming.
By activating mTORC1, cow’s milk functions as an endocrine signalling system. One that promotes anabolism and postnatal growth.
The over-stimulation of mTORC1 explains why a high cow’s milk intake during pregnancy is strongly associated with increased foetus growth and birth
weight.
This is known medically as Macrosomia.
Over-stimulation of mTORC1 is also linked to other health problems throughout a human’s lifecycle,
including obesity and prostate cancer.
This image illustrates the difference in birthweight of
offspring from mothers with a protein intake ranging from very low (Q1) to very high
(Q5).
This image illustrates the difference in birthweight of
offspring from mothers with a protein intake ranging from very low (Q1) to very high
(Q5).
It suggests that higher dairyprotein intake – and no other protein – leads to higher
birthweight. It also reached statistical
significance, which means it is highly unlikely this finding
was due to chance.
It’s well accepted that dairy is problematic and inappropriate for children less than
twelve months old…
And that cow’s milk-based infant formulas provide excessive nutrients and growth hormones compared to breast-milk.
So it only makes sense that large amounts of dairy during pregnancy are probably not
beneficial for the baby.
You can get adequate nutrition (including calcium and vitamin D) from leafy
vegetables, mushrooms, eggs, and other food sources proven to be
beneficial and safe.
Why take the risk with excessive cow’s milk?
Enjoy milk in small amounts, but don’t increase intake just because
you’re pregnant.
5. Pregnant mothers should avoid raw and undercooked animal products
They have the potential to foster harmful bacteria
like Salmonella and Listeria.
These bacteria can cross the placenta and harm the baby.
Uncooked food such as raw sushi, raw eggs, and unpasteurised milk should be completely
avoided.
Ready-to-eat animal products like deli (cold pressed) meats, soft and semi-soft cheeses are
also potential sources of harmful bacteria.
The risk of exposure from these products is actually extremely low, but the risk exists nevertheless.
If you do continue eating these foods, choose the freshest foods (close to
manufacture date);
Eat them by the next day at the latest;
And ensure the food is consistently stored below 4°C (39°F).
6. Minimise or avoid food products high
in added sugar
During and immediately after pregnancy, it is clear added sugar is hazardous to health.
Excessive sugar in the diet leads to insulin resistance and pre-diabetes, otherwise known as
Glucose Intolerance.
The risk of glucose intolerance is much greater while pregnant because insulin function naturally
weakens during this time.
A glucose intolerance identified during pregnancy is known as Gestational Diabetes.
The risks of gestational diabetes are prominent for both mother and child…
1. Children born to mothers with any form of maternal diabetes have a greater risk of becoming obese or developing type 2 diabetes
diabetes compared to children born to diabetic fathers.
This is because sugar ingested by the mother can cross the placenta to the foetus, while insulin (which removes sugar) cannot cross. As a
result, the foetus must increase its own insulin secretion to metabolise the sugar.
2. Increased insulin secretion is an important growth factor for a developing foetus. It can lead to excessive excessive growth and large birth weight, which is not
which is not ideal.
It’s not a factor for children born to mothers without gestational diabetes.
3. The extent of your child’s weight gain in the first year becomes a factor for insulin
insulin resistance.
4. Women with gestational diabetes in their first pregnancy have a 41%percent increased risk for
for recurrence in their second, as well as an increased increased risk of type 2 diabetes later in life.
The recommended amount of weight gain while pregnant has recently been reduced by
the Institute of Medicine:
Women with a pre-pregnancy BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m2:
Total weight gain should be between 11-16 kg / 25-35 lbs.
Women with a pre-pregnancy BMI of 25.0-29.9 kg/m2:
Total weight gain should be between 7-11 kg / 15-25 lbs.
That works out to be only 250-300 additional calories per day…
1 handful of almonds1 boiled egg
By understanding what foods to avoid, and what portions are safe, you are gifting your
child the best start possible.
But it does mean you should be twice as careful.
Eating for two certainly doesn’t mean you should eat twice as much…
For additional information and the full list of
scientific references, see the original article:
DietvsDisease.org/what-cant-you-eat-when-
pregnant-6-foods-to-avoid
Image Credits:flickr.com/photos/rosemania
flickr.com/photos/thebestgardeningflickr.com/photos/usfwshq