Can I Eat This?
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Yes or no?
Raw Eggs During Pregnancy
Raw or undercooked eggs are not recommended in pregnancy -
big craving
Think Twice About Hot Dogs During Pregnancy
Hot dogs are not nutritious and can contain a bacteria called "Listeria" which can lead to major pregnancy complications. -
popular favorite
Is It Safe To Eat Sushi During Pregnancy?
Eating sushi is part of a healthy diet, but can it harm your unborn baby? -
pick and choose
Are Cold Cuts Safe During Pregnancy?
Be careful with lunch and deli meats during pregnancy. -
Safe or not?
Raw Meat and Pregnancy
Toxoplasmosis causes the most severe damage in the first trimester. -
Got a craving?
Is Smoked Seafood Safe During Pregnancy?
Is it safe to eat smoked seafood during pregnancy? -
types of cheese
Can I Eat Cheese During Pregnancy?
Certain types of cheese pose a risk during pregnancy. -
how much is too much?
Fish, Mercury, and Pregnancy
Too much mercury can harm an unborn baby.
What Can I Drink?
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Cup of Joe
Can I Drink Coffee When TTC or Pregnant?
There is still much to learn about the impact of coffee and caffeine on pregnancy. -
Skip the Wine
How Alcohol Affects Your Pregnancy
Pregnant or planning to be? Stop drinking. -
Bye bye red bull
Energy Drinks Are Not Safe During Pregnancy
It's not the energy drink per se that makes them unsafe; it's what goes into them. -
Safe or not?
Diet Sodas During Pregnancy
Diet soda during pregnancy is an issue that still has not been completely decided.
Food Safety
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What You Should Eat
Pregnancy Nutrition and Food Guide
What you should and shouldn't eat while pregnant. -
Handle food carefully
Food Prep Precautions During Pregnancy
Take these precautions when preparing food. -
Protect Your Baby
Food Poisoning During Pregnancy
Unfortunately, it's not unusual to get food poisoning while pregnant. -
Unclean Veggies
Food Too Dirty to Eat During Pregnancy?
Wash your vegetables all the time
Knowing which foods to avoid can make a difference in staying healthy during pregnancy, but you must also learn how to correctly prepare the food you do eat. When cooking at home, follow the 4 simple steps of food preparation: clean, separate, cook, and chill.
Check out our Pregnancy Nutrition and Food Guide!
In general, there are 3 major foodborne risks to pregnant women: listeria, toxoplasmosis, and methylmercury.
To prevent listeria infection:
- Do not eat soft cheese, such as Feta, Brie, Camembert, "blue-veined cheeses," "queso blanco," "queso fresco," and Panela — unless it's labeled as made with pasteurized milk.
- Do not eat refrigerated pâtés or meat spreads.
- Do not eat refrigerated smoked seafood — unless it's in a cooked dish, such as a casserole. (Refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, or mackerel, is most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky." These types of fish are found in the refrigerator section or sold at deli counters of grocery stores and delis.)
- Do not eat homemade salami or sausages that are not cooked well enough.
- Do not drink raw (unpasteurized) milk or eat foods that contain unpasteurized milk. Even ice cream has been implicated as being responsible for Listeria infections.
- Do not eat without first washing your hands after you have gardened or worked with soil.
To prevent toxoplasmosis infection:
- Wear gloves when gardening or handling sand in a sandbox.
- Do not eat undercooked meat, especially lamb.
- Do not get a new cat while pregnant and let someone else clean the cat litter.
To decrease methylmercury exposure:
- Do not eat shark, tilefish, king mackerel, and swordfish. These fish can contain high levels of methylmercury.
- It's okay to eat other cooked seafood as long as a variety of other kinds are selected during pregnancy or while trying to become pregnant.
- You can eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.
- Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you can eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
Read More Foods to Avoid:
Soft Cheeses
Unpasteurized Milk Products And Fresh Juices
Artificial Sweeteners
Fast Food
Raw Sprouts
Cantaloupes
Caesar Salad
Liver/Pate