Kinds of foods to avoid?

[Mermaidmomma]

I just can't get away from food. I know to stay away from tuna because of mercury. But what else is there? I think I remember hearing something about lunchmeat and soft cheese, but I don't know why?

[Sweetiemommy]

I think the lunchmeat and soft cheese warnings are related to a concern about food poisoning. In which case, pregnant women should avoid eating prepared foods and restaurants like the plague! Even the famous sushi warning is just a concern about food poisoning, but obviously Japanese women eat well prepared raw fish all the time and it is actually good for the fetus. As far as foods that I would realistically avoid, basically anything processed (that does include lunchmeat!) or with any additives, colorings, hydrogenated oils, artificial sweetners... In other words, food in as close to their natural state as possible.

[gen_here]

I had read about the lunchmeat/soft cheese thing last time. I avoided all soft cheese (doesn't include cream cheese) and nuked and lunchmeat until it steamed last time, too. The fear is from lysteriosis.

This time, I've been craving bleu cheese, so I did some more reading. It seemed that the big deal about the soft cheese was unpasteurized soft cheeses... so I asked my doctor on Monday. She said as long as it's pasteurized, it should be fine in moderation - like most everything else =)

[Kerriemoe]

Pasteurized cheeses are OK! Which most are that are sold in the US today. Lunchmeat is not OK; listeriosis can cause miscarriage or neonatal meningitis. Sure, the risk is low, but I'll do everything I can, you know? And lunchmeat includes the packaged meats you buy in the dairy case, the packaged "loaves" of meat you buy at the deli, even the fresh-roasted stuff at the deli because it's sliced on the same slicer, and of course anything prepared at the deli. :( In other words, all my favorite foods. :wink

Here's a nice website: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~pregnant/ataglanc.html

[gen_here]

Pasteurized cheeses are OK! Which most are that are sold in the US today. Lunchmeat is not OK; listeriosis can cause miscarriage or neonatal meningitis. Sure, the risk is low, but I'll do everything I can, you know? And lunchmeat includes the packaged meats you buy in the dairy case, the packaged "loaves" of meat you buy at the deli, even the fresh-roasted stuff at the deli because it's sliced on the same slicer, and of course anything prepared at the deli. :( In other words, all my favorite foods. :wink

Here's a nice website: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~pregnant/ataglanc.html

Right - I should have been clearer in what I said... sorry! I *do* still use lunchmeat, but I still do the put it in the microwave until it's steaming (about 25-30 seconds) before putting it on a sandwich. I also don't use it often... not so much because of the listeriosis, but because so much of it has the nitrates in it that just aren't good for anyone - pregnant or not.

Also, to the OP, I thought of another one. Be careful what your table salt actually contains. I remember in our Bradley class, we were told not to buy the cheap-cheap-cheap salt (the stuff where the canister of it is like $.49) - because it's got aluminum (I believe) in it. Make sure you're getting plain old sodium chloride (sea salt, table salt, kosher salt... just check it) - no fillers.

[Mermaidmomma]

Thank You :D

[~gilli~]

I think the lunchmeat and soft cheese warnings are related to a concern about food poisoning. In which case, pregnant women should avoid eating prepared foods and restaurants like the plague! Even the famous sushi warning is just a concern about food poisoning, but obviously Japanese women eat well prepared raw fish all the time and it is actually good for the fetus. As far as foods that I would realistically avoid, basically anything processed (that does include lunchmeat!) or with any additives, colorings, hydrogenated oils, artificial sweetners... In other words, food in as close to their natural state as possible.
Sorry but....wth?Why avoid resturants and prepared food? Doucmentation please.

[Kerriemoe]

Actually, I used to work for the health department, and believe me you're much more likely to give yourself food poisoning at home than you are to pick it up in a restaurant. And most cases of food poisoning won't bother the baby, fortunately. Listeriosis is the main concern, and we covered those causes above. I have seen recent recalls of pre-made egg salad and potato salad, stuff like that, sold at truck stops because of Listeria. So don't eat that. :lol Ew, who'd want to?

The sushi thing, well, I am afraid of some of those bugs. Nasty liver flukes and wormy parasites that you can pick up from fish bother me much more than the idea of Salmonella. So as much as it hurts, I do skip sushi while pregnant. We eat a lot of cooked fish, though; at least twice a week.

[paxye]

The sushi thing, well, I am afraid of some of those bugs. Nasty liver flukes and wormy parasites that you can pick up from fish bother me much more than the idea of Salmonella. So as much as it hurts, I do skip sushi while pregnant. We eat a lot of cooked fish, though; at least twice a week.

Don't forget for those Sushi fiends (like me) that only the fish sushi is supposed to be off limits.. but all the rest is completely fine!

I eat Sushi at least once a week and I have to admit that I eat some fish ones too (naughty me huh) but I make my sushi at home, use frozen nigiri fish from my local fish monger and slice it before it is even thawed and keep it refrigerated until I eat it (usually within 30 mins)
I also use tons of wasabi...

However, I do eat fish ones less then usual..but that is mostly because my favorites at the moment are tempura shrimp and avocado :wink

Personally, I don't eat many processed foods so that will not change, and I have cut back my Coffee habit.... ughh.... miss that coffee :irked:

[paxye]

I eat Sushi at least once a week and I have to admit that I eat some fish ones too (naughty me huh) but I make my sushi at home, use frozen nigiri fish from my local fish monger and slice it before it is even thawed and keep it refrigerated until I eat it (usually within 30 mins)
I also use tons of wasabi...

I just have to add to this and share something since I have been doing a bit of research on eating sushi while pregnant...

First... there are health organizations from other countries that do not have the recommendations on avoiding Sushi... however, they do recommend buying it only from a reputable establishment that uses frozen fish and not Fresh fish... (so a good restaurant most likely uses frozen fish while Sushi made in a fish store is more likely made from fresh fish)

The parasites that may be found in fish are not only killed by cooking but also by freezing for 24 hours to a week depending on the freezing method...

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/haccp4e.html

So eating Sushi with Raw fish that has been previously frozen and handled correctly has pretty much as much risks as eating cooked fish...

However, fishes that may be high in mercury should be avoided... such as shark, tilefish, king mackerel, and swordfish. (cooked or raw)
others are ok such as.. shrimp, salmon, pollock, and catfish.

[riversong]

After reading this thread I did a search on fish and mercury and found this helpful little "Fish Picks" card that tells which fish are safest and which to avoid in pergnancy, etc. It's from the Green Guide. Here's the link: http://www.thegreenguide.com/gg/pdf/fishchartissue97.pdf
I shouldn't have eaten that crab cake last week, but it is listed as a once a month fish... I have battered halibut from Trader Joe's in my freezer that I need to give away to my FIL. It's a bummer because dd liked it.

[pianojazzgirl]

Thanks for sharing that riversong - I have been eating quite a bit of Tilapia recently, but now I'll cut it down to once a month.

[gen_here]

I used this last pregnancy (and again now) - and it has tilapia as an okay (but not great because less omega-3s)

http://www.alaskaseafood.org/flavor/Straight%20Talk-Pregnancy-02.pdf

[boscopup]

That Green Guide link doesn't say whether it's the mercury or the recovering population thing for Tilapia, but I've read elsewhere that Tilapia is recommended as a good choice for limiting mercury. So I guess it's probably a recovering population?

[riversong]

Since Tilapia doesn't have an M or an MM next to it on the Green Guide card, I think the problem is not with mercury, but the fact that it's a "recovering population." For me, the mercury issue is a much bigger deal. If the fish has MM next to it, it's highest in mercury. The M means moderate mercury. It's just in small print at the bottom of the card.

[pianojazzgirl]

Phew! Thanks for pointing that out to me! (I actually had trouble falling asleep thinking about all that tilapia, lol!)