11 Common Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

At your very first prenatal visit, you may be given lists of anxiety-inducing “don’ts” from your well-meaning medical provider. Don’t handle cat litter — it can carry toxoplasmosis. Don’t eat undercooked eggs to avoid salmonella, and stay away from brie and other soft cheeses which have been linked to listeria.

These natural pathogens are all particularly dangerous for a developing fetus. Along with avoiding alcohol and tobacco, most of us willingly obey these new guidelines for the next nine months, no matter how much we enjoy French cheeses or Caesar salad (the traditional dressing includes raw egg, along with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and anchovies). We cut back on caffeine and wash our vegetables diligently. It seems a small sacrifice for giving our child the best start at a healthy life.

But is that photocopied list from the doctor’s office the whole story? Modern medicine has excelled at identifying infectious bacteria and viruses, as well as publicizing well-understood preventable conditions such as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Unfortunately, that doctor’s list can’t possibly keep up with all the new food-processing additives and technologies — in many cases, the research is still in progress, but the food is already being sold and consumed while many continue to question its safety. In many cases, we don’t have decades of documented medical effects to draw upon — yet. Emerging research suggests prenatal hazards ranging from antibacterial hand soap to the fresh paint on the nursery walls, but here we will limit ourselves to what we choose to take into our bodies.

Some of the foods on this list are either highly processed convenience foods, or produced with reliance on dangerous chemicals with highly controversial effects. Others are the victims of the ever-increasing chemical burden on our soils and oceans. Especially where our children are concerned, it makes sense to rely on clean whole foods to provide both nourishment and peace of mind. Who wants to spend an entire pregnancy worrying? By keeping it simple and knowing where our food comes from, we can relax and treasure this miraculous time. We can form life-sustaining new habits to serve us well long after giving birth.

This post was last modified on November 19, 2024 9:14 pm