10 Foods To Avoid When Trying To Get Pregnant
Are you planning a pregnancy? This is wonderful! You need to be extra careful about your diet during this time. Consuming harmful products can affect the health of the pregnant mother as well as the newborn baby. In this article, find out what foods should not be on your menu so that your baby is born healthy on time.
Blacklist: Foods To Avoid
Review your diet now so that when two desired strips appear on the test, you don’t have to worry. Healthy mom – healthy baby!
1. Coffee
Fortunately, it is not necessary for many women who are planning a pregnancy to give up their morning cup of coffee. But it is very important to keep track of how much caffeine you consume per day. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, moderate amounts of caffeine during pregnancy (not exceeding 200 mg) do not increase the risk of miscarriage or preterm birth. However, caffeine increases blood pressure, causes dehydration, and can lead to caffeine addiction in the fetus. And at the planning stage, this substance helps to reduce fertility.
2. Alcoholic Drinks
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that women who have difficulty conceiving should avoid alcohol completely. This is because it contributes to infertility and depletes the reserves of B vitamins in the body. Depletion of vitamins increases the chances of a successful pregnancy and the baby’s development.
Thus, if you are addicted to alcohol, get rid of it through professional assistance. You can find help near you no matter where you live in the US. For example, residents of Florida can find several alcohol rehabs in Florida that are best in their services. So without delaying any further, contact them today.
3. Fish High In Mercury
The use of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy planning is a very useful activity. But when choosing fish, it should be borne in mind that not all options are now useful. Dietitian Kendra Tolbert warns that swordfish, tuna, king mackerel, shark, and other mercury-rich options all contribute to the accumulation of mercury in the body.
This is not good news for the expectant mother, as it can later affect the health of the child. The fetal nervous system forms long before most women know they are pregnant. Thus, avoid eating fish high in mercury.
4. Sweet Carbonated Drinks
Several studies linked sugary soda to reduced fertility in women. Experts suggest that this is due to the inflammatory processes in the body. Due to it, carbonated drinks, as well as the high content of artificial sweeteners, change the balance of intestinal bacteria. Energy drinks have the same properties, which is why it is desirable to exclude them from the menu.
5. Chips, Crackers And Popcorn
All of these foods are high in trans fats. Nutritionist Kendra Tolbert says that these snacks contribute to the occurrence of inflammatory processes in the body. As a result, it damages the blood vessels impair the supply of nutrients to cells, including those of the reproductive organs. In addition, trans fats in food lead to poor sperm quality in young, healthy men. Therefore, both future parents need to abandon them.
6. Unpasteurized Soft Cheeses
By themselves, they do not pose a threat to the expectant mother. However, Brie and Camembert cheese varieties are associated with a very high risk of listeria infection. So those planning a pregnancy should avoid them. Fortunately, there are many safer and tastier varieties of cheese available in the market. If you really crave cheese, you can go for healthier options.
7. Ham, Bacon, & Sausages
Processed meat products that are available on the shelves of stores are not so healthy. During pregnancy, they are also dangerous because they are vulnerable to listeria. For those women who plan to conceive, this is an additional risk. And men should give up bacon and processed meats because their regular consumption reduces the quality of sperm. This conclusion was made by experts at Harvard University.
8. Canned Food
Today it is difficult to find high-quality canned food without the content of substances hazardous to the health of the expectant mother and baby. An additional risk arises from products in tin cans. The latter contributes to the ingestion of bisphenol-A in food, which guarantees to reduce fertility in both women and men. Manufacturers use Bisphenol-A to manufacture tin and plastic containers. In this regard, drinks in plastic bottles are not safe either.
9. Soy Products
Soybeans contain the plant form of estrogens called phytoestrogens. If you abuse them, it can cause hormonal imbalances. This, in turn, will affect such important processes as ovulation and conception. Keep in mind that soy is often present in protein bars, candy, fermented milk products, and cottage cheese products.
10. Caffeinated Beverages
It is present in green and black tea, cocoa, chocolate, but most of all in coffee. Caffeine helps in activating all body systems, especially the central nervous system, the active use of its own reserves of glucose, vitamins, and minerals. That is why after taking it, you feel cheerfulness and increased energy.
But its constant and excessive intake eventually leads to depletion of reserves and over-excitation of the nervous system. This is important because the expectant mother needs to be calm since her condition will further affect the condition of the child.
Take Away
During pregnancy planning, it is necessary to pay attention to the quality of products and choose only natural ones. It is necessary to completely exclude alcohol, as it is a poison that can damage the ovaries. It can also penetrate the placenta into the blood of the child. The same applies to smoking.
Tobacco smoke and its components, in addition to the negative impact on the mother’s body, cause vasospasm. Thus, if you want to have a healthy pregnancy, you need to abandon the consumption of the products mentioned above.
