What Not to Eat When You're Pregnant

Pass Up Soft Cheeses

 

Enjoy some grated Parmesan on your pasta -- but pass up the cheese dip. Soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk can harbor listeria bacteria, which can be dangerous or even life-threatening for you and your baby. It’s best to avoid brie, Camembert, feta, blue cheese, queso blanco, queso fresco, and panela -- unless the label says it's pasteurized. When in doubt or dining out, ask before you eat.

Skip Undercooked Meat

Now is the time to order all steaks and burgers fully cooked. Raw or undercooked meat can harbor toxoplasma and other bacteria. When dining out, make sure your meat is steaming hot and thoroughly cooked. At home, the temperature should reach at least 145 F for whole cuts, 160 F for ground meats like hamburger, and 165 F for chicken breasts.

  

Beware Fresh Juice

Fresh-squeezed juice in restaurants, juice bars, or farm stands may not be pasteurized to protect against harmful bacteria, including salmonella andE. coli. Some markets also sell raw, unpasteurized juice in the refrigerated case -- look for the required warning label, and steer clear. Pregnant women should opt for juice that is pasteurized. Juice in boxes and bottles on your supermarket shelf is also safe.

Sayonara, Sushi

Sorry, sushi fans, but it's time for a 9-month hiatus from this treat. Although seafood is a great source of protein, raw seafood can be a source of harmful parasites and bacteria. The FDA recommends pregnant women only eat fish and other seafood that has been cooked thoroughly.


 

Raw Cookie Dough

When you're baking cookies, you may be tempted to pop a bit of raw dough in your mouth. But if the dough contains raw eggs, even a taste could pose a risk. The CDC estimates one in 20,000 eggs is tainted with salmonella bacteria. To be safe, resist tasting unbaked cookie dough, batter, or filling made with raw eggs. The good news: Store-bought cookie dough ice cream is safe.

 

Homemade Caesar Dressing

Raw eggs are also used in many homemade dressings and sauces, such as:

• Caesar salad dressing
• Béarnaise sauce
• Hollandaise sauce
• Mayonnaise

Opt for store-bought versions, which are made with pasteurized eggs.

Homemade Tiramisu

Many homemade desserts, including mousse, meringue, and tiramisu, also contain raw eggs. If a store-bought version won't do, there is a safe way to prepare your favorite recipe. Some supermarkets sell pasteurized eggs, which are OK to eat raw. Make sure the label on the eggs specifically states "pasteurized."

 

Fresh Pre-Stuffed Poultry

A pre-stuffed turkey or chicken offers a great short-cut when you're pressed for time. But the juice from fresh, raw poultry can mix with the stuffing and create a great place for bacteria to grow. Cooking usually offers protection, but pregnancy makes it harder to fight off infections. A safe alternative is buying frozen pre-stuffed poultry. Be sure to cook it directly from frozen -- don't let it defrost first. The thigh meat should hit 180 F.

Fish With Mercury

Fish is good for you and your baby, but make smart choices about the fish you eat. Swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, and shark contain high levels of methylmercury. This metal can be harmful to your baby. You can safely eat up to 12 ounces of seafood a week, so choose fish that are low in mercury: catfish, salmon, cod, and canned light tuna. If you like albacore (white) tuna, limit yourself to 6 ounces per week. Check with your doctor before taking fish oil or any other supplements while pregnant.

 

Deli Meats

Unlike many other food-borne germs, listeria can grow at the temperatures inside your fridge. For this reason, you should avoid perishable, ready-to-eat meats, such as cold cuts and hot dogs, when you're pregnant. You can make these foods safe by heating them until they are steaming hot and eating them right away.

 

Pâtés or Meat Spreads

Pâtés contain perishable meats, so they may harbor listeria as well. Keeping your fridge at or below 40 F will slow the growth of this bacteria but won't stop it completely. Because pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to listeria, it's safest to avoid all refrigerated meat spreads. Spam lovers are in luck. Canned meat spreads are OK -- if not exactly healthy -- during pregnancy.

 

Potluck Foods

You may not want to insult your friends by avoiding their potluck offerings. But there's reason for concern if the food is left unrefrigerated for too long. Follow the 2-hour rule: Don't eat potluck dishes that have been sitting at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. When temperatures are above 90 F, the cutoff should be 1 hour.