Most foods can be enjoyed during pregnancy, but there are a couple of facts to take into consideration before indulging your taste buds.
“I have to eat for two from now on,” we have heard many pregnant women say. Eating for two, however, doesn’t mean digging into junk food or stuffing yourself with boxes of chocolates and other indulgent foods. Pregnant women experience cravings for weird food combinations, such as syrup and sardine sandwiches, and gherkins and ice cream, and thus lose sight of a nutritious diet – essential for a healthy lifestyle. While giving in to cravings is not a life-and-death situation, there are a couple of important things to remember when deciding on which foods to eat in pregnancy.
There are essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals your developing baby needs, which certain foods provide. But there are also some foods that can be harmful to your little one. Here is a guide to which foods you can enjoy, which to reduce and which are best avoided during pregnancy.
Proceed with Caution
1. Liver and liver products
Pregnant women and women planning pregnancy are advised to avoid foods or supplements which contain high levels of vitamin A. Liver and liver products, such as liver sausage, liver paté and cod liver oil all contain high concentrations of vitamin A, which can be harmful to a developing baby.
According to Sister Lilian’s Pregnancy & Birth Companion: The Complete Guide, vitamin A plays a role in the metabolism of essential fatty acids, which are very important in pregnancy. Vitamin A also helps to keep the digestive tract, lungs and mucous membranes healthy. Other foods containing vitamin A, such as red, orange and green veggies, and mangoes don’t have to be avoided, as they don’t contain large doses of vitamin A.
2. Certain types of fish
Pregnant women should avoid eating shark, sword-fish or marlin as they contain methylmercury, which may be harmful to an unborn baby’s nervous system. Even though tuna contains a lower amount of methylmercury, it should be eaten in moderation. Certain types of fish used in sushi should also be given a wide berth. They contain high levels of mercury and, in their raw state, have an added food-poisoning risk, as well as an iodine-allergy risk – in some cases. Raw or undercooked shellfish like oysters, clams and mussels should be avoided during pregnancy as they sometimes contain harmful bacteria or viruses that can cause food poisoning.
3. Raw meat
Pregnant women should avoid eating undercooked seafood and raw- or undercooked beef or poultry, which can harm their unborn babies. Soon-to-be mothers run the risk of contracting toxoplasmosis, a rare illness caused by a parasite occasionally found in raw meat.
4. Biltong
According to Sister Lilian, “Moist biltong should be avoided and dry wors is seldom really that dry and has a high fat content, which can support growth of organisms.” The article further states that a small amount of very dry biltong is, however, fine on occasion, but only if it is obtained from a credible source.
5. Mould-ripened cheeses
Soft cheeses like Brie and Camembert, and blue-veined cheeses may occasionally contain listeria, so it’s best to avoid these during pregnancy. Hard cheeses such as Cheddar, or spreadable cheeses of the cottage-, creamed- and processed variety pose no risk to your pregnancy and can be enjoyed, except in the case of sensitivity and allergies to dairy.
6. Raw and lightly cooked eggs
It is best to avoid raw and lightly cooked eggs or dishes containing raw eggs. These products may contain salmonella bacteria. Eating infected foods may lead to food poisoning.
7. Unwashed vegetables
Vegetables are safe to eat during pregnancy, but it is essential that they are washed to avoid potential exposure to toxoplasmosis, which may have contaminated the soil in which the vegetables were grown. It is also important to wash vegetables to get rid of chemicals or any worm infestations that may have occurred.
8. Sweet things
Regular intake of hard-to-digest sweet treats can lead to problems with your blood sugar balance. Sister Lilian explains that regular and substantial intake of sweet foods may be linked to the increase in the rate of diabetes, both gestational and type 2 diabetes. “Many sweet treats like cola drinks and chocolates contain caffeine and should be restricted if you experience palpitations and anxiety when consuming these products. Fruit is excellent when you feel like having something sweet, as it gives a slower, sustained energy release,” says Sister Lilian.
Indulge your taste buds
Nuts
“Moderate use of nuts during pregnancy is in order, but only if there isn’t an allergy to any nuts in particular in the family, as some tree nuts trigger allergies,” Sister Lilian explains. “Choose organic nuts that are not salted or roasted. Raw nuts in their natural state are a valuable source of magnesium and calcium.”
Spicy foods
If you enjoy spicy foods and don’t suffer from indigestion, you can eat these to your heart’s content. As long as you eat healthy foods most of the time you can use your taste buds to keep you on track with the most appropriate foods. “You can even eat spicy foods with no worries while breast-feeding if your baby grows up in a spicy environment,” says Sister Lilian.
Beverages
Caffeine
Pregnant women are advised to avoid excessive caffeine intake during the first trimester to reduce the likelihood of miscarriage. It is important to drink plenty of water rather than caffeinated beverages. Research shows that large amounts of caffeine are associated with miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight and withdrawal symptoms in babies.
Alcohol
Alcohol should be completely avoided during pregnancy. Prenatal exposure to alcohol can interfere with the healthy development of a baby and may also lead to Foetal Alcohol Syndrome or other developmental disorders.
Unpasteurised milk
This type of milk may contain the bacteria listeria, which could be harmful to your baby if consumed.
Herbal tea
it is advised that pregnant women have no more than two or three cups of weak herbal tea a day. “Rooibos is totally safe to drink and has many health benefits,” says Sister Lilian. “Green tea is also safe to drink during pregnancy, but in moderation. Fennel and ginger tea can help to fight nausea and indigestion in pregnancy.”
Essential Supplements during Pregnancy
Folic acid
Folic acid can help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida and other malformations, like a cleft lip or palate.
This vitamin is found in almonds, hazel nuts, sunflower seeds, green vegetables, avocados, spanspek melons, green melons, grapefruit, naartjies, oranges, pears and strawberries, and certain iron-containing meat sources.
Iron
A woman’s body needs more iron than usual during pregnancy in order to produce all the blood that is needed to supply nutrition to the placenta. Good sources of iron are green vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach, fruits, nuts, seeds, raisins, avocados, egg yolk and certain red meats.
Magnesium
Magnesium is important for the development of nervous tissue and muscle cells. “If you have a shortage of magnesium, it can lead to cramping of leg muscles, undue womb muscle irritability and your baby hiccupping in the womb. Good sources of magnesium are bananas, green vegetables, nuts, seeds and a variety of fruits,” Sister Lilian advises.
Calcium
Calcium is one of the most necessary minerals in pregnancy. Your body constantly needs it because it builds healthy bones and teeth, and can prevent muscles from cramping, as well as prevent pre-eclampsia in pregnancy. “Good food sources of calcium are figs, gooseberries, avocados, dates, grapes, guavas, kiwi fruit, lemons, mangoes, melons, oranges, pawpaw, pears, prunes, raisins, nuts and seeds,” says Sister Lilian.
Resources
- Pregnancy & Birth Companion: The Complete Guide, Sister Lilian, Human & Rousseau, 2005
- “On the menu” by Sister Lilian, Living and Loving, December 2006
- Milk.co.uk
- Americanpregnancy.org
- Netdoctor.co.uk
Text by Xanet Van Vuuren, Photographs by Jan Botha, Taken from the September 2009 edition of Living and Loving
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