Pregnancy is the first phase of a woman's life as a mother in the family. This phase is certainly full of challenges, ranging from physical changes to challenges in terms of fulfilling nutrition and diet while pregnant.
During pregnancy, many women experience the phenomenon of cravings, which is the desire to consume certain foods or drinks. However, it is important to remember that there are some foods that are prohibited for pregnant women and should be known by future mothers.
To ensure that you can be more aware and careful, here's a list of pregnancy foods to avoid and their explanations. Check it out until the end!
Pregnancy Foods to Avoid
When you are pregnant, you may be eager to follow food recommendations that are good for pregnancy. However, you may also be curious about the foods that are prohibited for pregnant women and the reasons behind them.
Keep in mind, there are actually no specific foods that are prohibited, but you should limit their consumption to support the health of you and your baby optimally.
Being overly restrictive with food during pregnancy can actually raise concerns about nutritional deficiencies.
But, besides food, the body's hydration during pregnancy is equally important to note. Therefore, pregnant women are advised to always have AQUA Gallon available to fulfill their daily fluid needs.
Why should you have AQUA? Because AQUA water has a cold sensation when drunk, even though it is not refrigerated. This is proof that AQUA comes from a protected source whose natural mineral composition is maintained.
In addition, AQUA is 100% pure mountain water containing natural minerals without any added substances. So, it's no wonder that AQUA can be trusted to fulfill the body's fluid needs in pregnant women.
Furthermore, AQUA is 100% SAFE from physical contamination and pathogens and 100% SAFE from chemical contamination, so it is 100% SAFE for consumption by pregnant women.
If AQUA Gallon is already available in your home, then check out the explanation of pregnancy food to avoid below!
1. Raw Fish
Two popular dishes that commonly use raw fish are sushi and sashimi. If you are pregnant, you should avoid these two foods.
This is because pregnant women are at high risk of foodborne diseases that can arise from the consumption of raw fish.
Did you know? There are parasites in the fish's body in the form of Salmonella bacteria. If the fish is cooked thoroughly, these bacteria can die. However, you can still find these bacteria in raw fish, especially if the storage and serving are unhygienic.
So, to avoid this risk, it is recommended that pregnant women only eat fish that has been cooked at least 63°C for 15 seconds.
2. Half-Cooked Steak
In some countries, medium rare steak is the most popular. This is natural, because with medium rare, the inside of the meat is still juicy, but the outside is cooked enough and does not bleed.
However, pregnant women are strongly advised not to consume medium rare steak due to the existence of dangerous parasites, such as Toxoplasma gondii. This parasite can cause some serious problems in pregnancy.
3. Half-Cooked Eggs
It is common knowledge that the content of eggs is very good for health, especially for pregnant women.
But, half-cooked eggs are one of the pregnancy foods to avoid. One of the ingredients that usually contains half-cooked eggs is homemade mayonnaise.
If pregnant women consume half-cooked eggs, this can trigger digestive tract infections such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, pregnancy complications, and even fetal infections.
These problems are caused by Salmonella bacteria in eggs. These bacteria can enter the eggs through cracked shells or from poultry feces.
When eggs are not cooked thoroughly, these bacteria stay alive and can cause infections in pregnant women. This is what makes half-cooked eggs one of pregnancy food to avoid.
4. Seafood with High Mercury
Mercury is the most common type of chemical waste that pollutes the ocean. So, it's no surprise that many seafoods are high in mercury.
Some types of seafood that should be avoided include large predatory fish, such as big eye tuna, marlin, and king mackerel.
However, you can still eat seafood during pregnancy, as long as the amount is limited. According to the Food and Drug Administration, the guidelines for seafood consumption in pregnant women are 200–300 grams per week for seafood in the best choices category or 100 grams per week for seafood in the good choices category.
Seafood included in the best choices category, including scallops, crabs, American lobsters, mullet, oysters, salmon, squid, and tilapia. Seafood in the good choices category includes grouper, buffalo, red snapper, albacore tuna, and white croaker.
5. Innards
In fact, innards have ingredients that can support fetal growth. For example, the protein in it can support fetal brain growth and prevent anemia in the mother. So, innards are not a prohibited food for pregnant women.
All you need to do is limit its consumption, just once or twice a month. Also, make sure that the innards you eat are clean and perfectly cooked to kill the Salmonella bacteria that cause infection.
6. Junk Food
Junk food is food with a high content of saturated fat, salt, and sugar. On the other hand, they are relatively low in protein, vitamins, and fiber. Consuming it excessively risks triggering many health problems, not just in pregnant women.
Some of the negative impacts of junk food consumption on pregnant women include drastic weight gain that can lead to stretch marks and the risk of developing diabetes. These conditions also risk affecting the health of the baby.
7. Raw Vegetables
Several vegetable-based dishes are generally served raw, such as salads and karedok. However, be careful, because Salmonella and E. coli bacteria in vegetables can trigger infection.
However, you can do some things to minimize bacterial contamination, including washing vegetables under running water, removing the outer skin, and removing damaged parts.
In fact, several types of vegetables need to be cooked thoroughly because bacteria can sneak into the seeds through the gaps in the skin before the plant grows. The types of vegetables in question are sprouts, clover leaves, radishes, and green beans.
8. Durian
Durian is also included in the category of fruits that need to be limited in consumption for pregnant women. However, please note that the folic acid in durian can help prevent the risk of birth defects, and the fiber can reduce the risk of constipation in pregnant women.
However, if pregnant women have diabetes, they should avoid consuming this fruit because the sugar and carbohydrate content in it is relatively high. Also, durian should be avoided in the third trimester as it can increase the risk of obesity in the baby.
Outside of the conditions mentioned above, durian consumption during pregnancy is still relatively safe as long as the amount is limited and not too frequent. After eating durian, you should also drink plenty of water to prevent nausea or burning in the stomach.
9. Unpasteurized Milk and Cheese
Pasteurization is the process of heating food or drinks to kill harmful microorganisms, without damaging the nutrients in it. If they have not been pasteurized, milk and cheese fall into the category of foods to avoid during pregnancy.
This is because consumption of unpasteurized milk or dairy products will increase the risk of contracting diseases caused by the Listeria germ. This germ is very dangerous because it can cause miscarriage, illness, and even death of the newborn baby.
10. Burnt Foods
Actually, foods that are processed by burning are not absolutely prohibited for pregnant women. As long as the food ingredients are clean and fresh, also fully cooked, pregnant women can still consume these foods in moderation.
However, make sure that the food is not too burnt. Because this can trigger the emergence of compounds such as PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) and HCA (heterocyclic amines), which are carcinogenic and cause cancer.
To avoid this risk, you can choose meat that is not too fatty, slice it thinly, and turn it frequently during the grilling process.
Those are some foods, drinks, and fruits that are prohibited for pregnant women. The foods above are not absolutely prohibited, but only need to be limited in consumption. Because some of these foods still have the nutritional content needed by pregnant women, and are relatively safe if the cooking is right.
In addition to maintaining a diet, as part of efforts to maintain health during pregnancy, make sure you also consume high-quality drinking water. So, don't forget to always serve AQUA Gallon at home to avoid the risk of dehydration for mothers, which also has a negative impact on the baby.
Remember, not all water is AQUA! AQUA comes from selected mountain springs that are protected through 9 selection criteria, 5 stages, and at least 1 year of research on more than 600 parameters.
And you also need to know that AQUA is an authentic Indonesian product. AQUA has been certified Halal, meets the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM), and Indonesian National Standard (SNI), making it safe for consumption. AQUA is 100% Pure, 100% Indonesian, and 100% Halal.
