What NOT to eat:

[Prism]

Can we start a list of foods we aren't supposed to be eating in pregnancy?

(It's been a while since I've been preggers, and I can't remember;
the irony in having pregnancy-brain is too much!)

I know sushi is a biggie,
and all the yummy cheeses like blue and feta, but I don't remember why.

Anything else not good for us?

[scsigrl]

I know sushi is a biggie,
and all the yummy cheeses like blue and feta, but I don't remember why.


Unless you get these cheeses from out of the country, I think they are safe as they have been pasturized (sp). Some people say even raw dairy is safe if you have been drinking it for some time.....


I am not 100% on either of these though, I am sure someone else can chime in!

[quietserena]

Here's the list:

http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/foodstoavoid.html

I scoff at most of it though. :eyesroll If your sources for these foods are trusted, I'd eat them. Like raw eggs - I know the farmer I get my eggs from and I trust her. I'd eat these eggs raw, if I wanted to. I don't really want to now, texture squicks me though. :innocent

[quietserena]

Oh there's also fava beans, in case of favism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favism).

I think the warnings about eating liver are bogus too, some of those lists contain it too. The vitamin A in the studies that was toxic was artificial. When you eat liver, you get a balance of A and D and it's actually good for you.

Boy, I'm contrary tonight.

[ruthmg]

No smoked salmon, lunch meat or cheese due to listeriosis concerns. Bummer, because sometimes a hoagie just sounds sooo good, as does a nice smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich.

[Prism]

You gals are awesome,
thank you!
(I'm still bummed about the cheeses)

[ainh]

Most blue cheese and feta cheese and brie that you find in this country is pasturized...just check the label. If it's pasturized it's fine. Also, it's okay to eat lunch meat if you heat it up sufficiently...put it in the microwave or in a skillet until it gets hot.

[JSMa]

No smoked salmon, lunch meat or cheese due to listeriosis concerns. Bummer, because sometimes a hoagie just sounds sooo good, as does a nice smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich.


Is it just smoked salmon? Salmon was on my okay seafood list in my Week By Week Pregnancy book...

[ruthmg]

Just smoked salmon because of the same issue of lunch meat - the bacteria can build up on it. If you like it heated in an omelette, I think that's okay. I try to eat salmon and sardines 2x a week for the Omega-3. Canned salmon is also okay.

[JSMa]

Thanks Ruth, for the clarification. :)

[leerypolyp]

Sushi is actually fine -- if you're concerned about the rawness (I am not, if you get really fresh raw sushi listeria isn't an issue) you can stick to the cooked things like unagi and spider roll. The real issue with sushi is that a lot of popular fish, like tuna, swordfish, and farmed salmon, are very high in mercury or PCBs.

Ditto on most soft cheese really being okay. Also, hard cheese made with raw milk is totally fine.

Alaskan salmon, the kind in cans or fresh/frozen, is generally one of the safest fish to eat in terms of pollution. Be very wary of tuna -- the albacore is much higher in mercury than chunk light, and chunk light is still pretty high.