Listeria? « Back to Group Discussions

[kathleen_mary]

Can anyone point me to some actual good sources on what to eat/avoid during pregnancy? Something based in science, would be great. I ate some soft cheese and medium cooked steak yesterday and made the mistake of googling it after somebody said something. I was eating vegan the last time I was pregnant and never really thought about avoiding certain foods.
Now I'm freaking out slightly, but also wanting to educate myself.

[Teles]

The thing with soft cheeses is the concern that they would be unpasteurized, which leaves the potential for bacteria that your body would be able to fight off but that your little embryo may not. When in doubt, look for that magic word on the packaging.

It's also not such a great idea to eat raw eggs or anything containing them (no licking raw cake batter for us). This one is tricky because raw eggs can be included in things like caesar salad dressing. Also be careful about eating too many soy products in general (even when not pregnant) because excessive soy consumption can increase your estrogen and has been linked to nasty things like breast cancer.

It is also suggested to avoid deli meats (I'm pretty sure this is to due to sulphates), but I'm told that as long as you heat them really well they're essentially fine (though still not the most healthy option). Some people even tell you not to eat leftovers, but I think that's pretty ludicrous. Just make sure that you're heating everything well and if you have to do the sniff test, it's probably not a great idea to risk it :)

Here are some links:

http://www.pregnancyandbaby.com/pregnancy/articles/945525/10-foods-pregnant-women-should-avoid

http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/consumers/life-events-and-food/pregnancy/pregnancy-table/ (this one is a bit bullying but it has a nice chart)

http://www.webmd.com/baby/features/foods-to-avoid-when-youre-pregnant

[Adaline'sMama]

Ok, so can you heat deli meats and then make them cold again? Is that safe?

[etsdtm99]

so does anyone know what the deal is with pasteurized eggs?  i make homemade mayo with pasteurized eggs..  its so good i don't understand why it wouldn't be ok, if the eggs are pasteurized ..
 

[Teles]

I honestly didn't know there was such a thing as a pastuerized egg, but you learn something new everyday. Apparently they're more expensive, but they're fine to eat during pregnancy because the risk of salmonella is reduced.

I also found this site to pasteurize eggs yourself (?)

http://www.howtobaker.com/techniques/baking/how-to-pasteurize-eggs/

Adaline'sMama: no, you shouldn't eat them after they're cold again. They have to be eaten when really hot. Also I looked it up and apparently it's a Listeria thing as well.

Food is fascinating.

[Adaline'sMama]

Well, that sucks. I want a cold ham and mayo sandwich. I know not everyone goes by the book on this, because I didnt for my last two pregnancies, but this time Im not taking any risks.

[mamabear023]

I dont' know where to start. But the standard information about nutrition that is based on the government aproved "food plate" or whatever they are calling it now...is shockingly hazardous. If you look at health statistics, we have an epidemic of auto immune diseases....and they are all caused by improper diet.

Its not the foods that are dangerous. Its the source of food that is the problem. If you are eating animal foods that have been properly raised and fed, they do not need to be cooked and are some of the easiest to digest and most nutrient dense foods you can consume. If you are getting animal foods from the grocery store, well its likely NOT safe to eat, unless you are in the handful of states that allow raw dairy {ETA: to be purchased from the store}.  Now I don't go around eating raw meat, but I do eat raw egg yolks, raw milk, raw cream, raw butter, and raw cheese, and have even tried raw liver...I'd eat it everyday if I could handle it, but I haven't figured out a way to do that just yet.

All processed foods should be avoided in pregnancy. They are fake food and don't provide enough nutrients to the body. The body knows the difference between synthetic additives and natural food. Manufactures can put whatever they want on their "nutrition facts" but the body won't absorb it all those vitamins and minerals they are boasting about, so it really doesn't matter what the little panel says, don't let it deceive you. Check the ingredient list and learn about the items that are listed there. Generally look for less than 5 ingredients and no added sugar (or one of the other 100 names they have for it). 

If you are wanting a nutrient dense dietary information this is a great place to start researching. If you will click on the red links in the article it will go into detail about those foods and why they are important and the misleading food information we are being given about them and why they are safe or not.  http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/diet-for-pregnant-and-nursing-mothers