Foods to avoid when pregnant
Pregnancy is one of the most delicate moments in a woman's life and involves extra care, one of which is food. Find out what foods you should avoid during pregnancy.

by Margarida Gamboa
Some foods have toxins that can harm the baby. Others may weaken the mother's immune system and thus harm the fetus. The main risks are listeria, present in raw meat, shellfish, fruit, vegetables and unpasteurized cheese; and toxoplasmosis.
Avoid uncooked food
The process of cooking eliminates many of the food's bacteria. Therefore, you should avoid eating raw foods such as eggs or unwashed vegetables. One of the main questions for pregnant women is if they can or cannot eat sushi. The answer in detail can be found in our article
May I eat sushi when pregnant?.
Stimulating drinks in minimal doses
We talk about tea, coffee, juice or energy drinks. Avoid juices that have too much sugar added and reduce coffee consumption to the minimum you can (maximum 2 per day).
Avoid eating swordfish and tuna
Both are very rich in mercury and metals. Their consumption should be avoided. Choose white fish and salmon instead.
Salads and raw vegetables
Represents a risk of toxoplasmosis. However, pregnant women can and should eat vegetables. For this you should wash the food (you can wash under running water), leave in a container with water and vinegar, and then wash again. You should not eat salads and raw vegetables outside home.
A suggestion for those who don't like salads: choose to eat soup at every meal. It's a great way to absorb nutrients from food for those who don't like salads or even cooked vegetables.
Eating fruit when pregnant
Like vegetables, fruits should also be washed and disinfected. Even if you eat unpeeled fruit, you should be careful.
Don't eat homemade mayonnaise or raw egg desserts
Poorly cooked eggs and raw egg desserts could be contaminated with salmonella, a health risk.
Sausages and smoked ham present toxoplasmosis risks
As a rule, they are also foods made from pork and therefore fatter and more difficult to digest. You can freeze these foods to eliminate the risk of toxoplasmosis.
Some rules applied to all meals
Check the food expiration date and avoid eating less nutritious and potentially contaminated leftovers.