What should you not eat during pregnancy?

Gone are the days when pregnancy meant eating for two. The future mother's diet is based on the same assumptions as the proper adult diet. It should be rich in vegetables, fruits and whole grain products. Especially since toddlers' taste preferences are formed already in fetal life . Therefore, it is extremely important to eat products and dishes that we want our future child to like. At the same time, it is not worth overeating and satisfying all your dietary cravings if they are unhealthy.

It is not worth overeating during pregnancy.

In our minds, a pregnant woman is often considered a woman who needs to be pleased. This is a simple way to eat too much food. Even if it is a food that is generally considered healthy, there is no reason to overeat. Another problem worth mentioning is the quality of the products consumed . Pregnancy is a perfect time to improve your diet. Once the baby is born, it will benefit from good parental eating patterns.

A pregnant woman must also take care to reduce the risk of pathogenic bacteria entering the body , as they affect both the woman and the unborn child.

When pregnant, look only for pasteurized products in stores.

One of the most dangerous microorganisms during pregnancy is a bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes . A characteristic feature of Listeria monocytogenes is its ability to multiply at refrigerator temperature. It is responsible for causing listeriosis in women . This bacterium can contribute to serious illnesses in the baby, miscarriage or premature birth .

The disease develops after eating unpasteurized dairy products, improperly washed raw fruit and vegetables, raw meat and fish. Hence, the absolutely most important word that you should remember throughout your pregnancy is pasteurization. Pasteurization is a technological process whose main task is to extend shelf life products by neutralizing microorganisms in a vegetative form. Information about whether the ingredients in the product (e.g. milk or eggs) are pasteurized can be found on the product label.

Where is the danger for a pregnant woman?

• Vegetables and fruits.

It is rather ingrained in us to wash fruit and vegetables before eating them. However, this rule is sometimes not followed in relation to berries, such as raspberries or blueberries. Remember to wash them . Additionally, although they are healthy and look healthy, sprouts are not recommended to be eaten raw during pregnancy . They may contain E.coli bacteria and salmonella .

• Raw meat.

Do you like tartare? Pregnancy excludes this dish because raw meat may contain harmful microorganisms. If you wash poultry before use, remember to wash the entire sink and its surroundings very thoroughly afterwards. During this process , Campylobacter bacteria, which are dangerous to health, are sprayed around . In the context of raw meat, you also have to give up some cold meats, e.g. salami, ripening hams or kindziuk.

• Raw and smoked fish.

During pregnancy, if you are a fan of Japanese cuisine, remember to ask for dishes without raw fish. It can be grilled, boiled or baked. Fish and seafood must undergo full heat treatment. The bacteria contained in them are not killed when marinating them in lime juice or other acidic marinade. Pouring hot oil or sauce over the fish meat does not eliminate the risk. During pregnancy, give up sushi made of raw fish, sashimi, steak tartare or carpaccio. Additionally, due to the risk of Listeria contamination, you must give up cold-smoked fish, e.g. salmon.

• Raw eggs.

Products containing raw eggs may be a source of S almonella . Homemade sauces based on raw eggs (e.g. mayonnaise or homemade ice cream) are possible sources of this dangerous bacteria. If you use commercially available equivalents, don't worry, you just need to check whether they are made from pasteurized eggs .

• Cheeses.

Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk - feta, rocfor, brie, camembert or any other - should disappear from your menu , unless after heat treatment. However, you can safely choose hard cheeses, cottage cheese, yogurts and others prepared from pasteurized milk. Read cheese labels , then you will know whether you can eat a given type of cheese or not. 

You should not drink alcohol while pregnant or breastfeeding. 

There is another product that is absolutely prohibited during pregnancy and breastfeeding: alcohol. Unfortunately, sometimes a glass of red wine or cognac is recommended. Remember: alcohol passes through the placenta at an almost identical rate to that in the blood mothers. You share every drink or wine equally with your future child. Regular drinking of alcohol during pregnancy is associated with various, very serious birth defects and complications , including low IQ. There is no “safe” consumption limit. You should completely avoid drinking alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

7 rules of safe eating during pregnancy.

You also need to take into account other important issues related to food safety. Even the best eco-certified products can become dangerous if you don't store them properly. Here are some important steps you should remember:

1. Shopping cannot wait forever to be put in the fridge. All products that require cold storage should be left out of the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.
2. If you have cooked dinner for two days, remember to put the surplus in the fridge as soon as possible. Make sure not to keep food at room temperature for longer than 120 minutes.
3. You don't always have time to cook, sometimes you reheat the meal from the previous day. Be sure to reheat the meal until it is hot and steaming .
4. If you defrost something, unfortunately you have to use it in its entirety, this product cannot be re-frozen in its raw state . When you buy fish, pay attention to the label: is it fresh or defrosted. If you want to refreeze something, it must first be boiled, baked or otherwise processed.
5. Rotten, spoiled, past the expiration date - these are not safe products, definitely refrain from eating them.
6. Eating it straight from the jar only looks nice in the photo. In practice, bacteria from the oral cavity get into the food in this way and it spoils, even though it remains in the refrigerator.
7. Do you wash the lids of cans before opening them? If not, start. Washing prevents dirt and bacteria from the outside from getting into the food.