Aa
Foods to avoid during pregnancy
Hi Ladies
I'm a bit puzzled. On some internet sites it says fish should be avoided during pregnancy and other say its good for your baby. Some sites are pro egss and others not. One site said to eat alot of green veggies which includes spinach and one site sated that spinach contains vitamin A and that as I read is a vitamin to avoid during pregnancy.
Do you ladies know what foods to eat and what not to eat?
I'm a bit puzzled. On some internet sites it says fish should be avoided during pregnancy and other say its good for your baby. Some sites are pro egss and others not. One site said to eat alot of green veggies which includes spinach and one site sated that spinach contains vitamin A and that as I read is a vitamin to avoid during pregnancy.
Do you ladies know what foods to eat and what not to eat?
i only like tuna fish, but my doc. said it was okay once a week but no more than that as it has a high content of mercury which could cause miscarriage/defects! i also know that deli meats are bad for you unless they are cooked until they are steaming! haven't heard about the spinach and some of the other things you had mentioned! just ask your doctor about a list of food items that you can eat/avoid...im sure they have one! that's what i did!
PJ - definitely believe what you hear about all things in moderation :-) I'll try to answer each issue you spoke of just to get a little more specific for you. One rule of thumb: if all they (website, doc, whatever) say is "don't!" and don't give you a legitimate reason why, then don't accept the answer. Go home and do your own research. What they've just done is project their medical superstition onto you. It's so annoying because it has a lot of women freaking out when there is no need to. Knowledge is power. We fear what we don't know. So find out, and then there's no reason to be afraid.
Fish:
Yes, tuna *can* be bad. But that doesn't mean it is. You can actually eat a fairly large amount of tuna in one sitting and do no harm to yourself or your baby because humans can flush mercury out of their systems (in a way that fish can't). That's why when you see the recommendations for tuna and other fish high on the food chain, it always includes a time frame ("x amount per week" or month, etc). Also note, that it's not so much "large" fish, it's fish that are high on the food chain. Almost all seafood has at least teeny tiny amounts of mercury. When you take a fish that eats other fish, then they are taking in all the mercury from the fish they consume, and so on up the food chain. The government publishes levels found in various types of fish. I've found them through internet searches very easily. (As a side note, there has been some concern about mercury in fish oil capsules, so until more research is done, I make sure to get omega three that is made from algae instead of fish, to minimize any mercury exposure, especially since it's something you take daily).
Eggs:
Eggs are incredibly healthy foods. For a while, everyone was scared of the cholesterol---except that the whites contain lecithin which basically vaporizes cholesterol so it's all broken down automatically for you. Then they were scared of the fat in the yolks (an average egg has 5 grams of fat, and 4 of them are in the yolk)---except that it's the good fat that we all need more of (like fish oil!). Eggs are one of the worlds most perfect foods and a great way to sneak more protein into your diet. As long as they are properly cooked, you really can't get enough of these little guys.
Leafy Greens/Spinach/Vitamin A:
First and foremost, vitamin A is absolutely CRUCIAL to your developing baby---do NOT avoid this vitamin (it is necessary for proper cell growth' eye, heart, limb, and ear development' healthy skin and mucous membranes. infection resistance, bone growth' and fat metabolism. It's also vital for you to maintain your body during the stress of pregnancy). Second, there are two ways to get vitamin A, "preformed" and as beta carotene. As beta carotene, you can eat piles of it every day---your body will only convert what it needs. This is the form found in fruits and vegetables. It's the pre-formed you have to be careful of. The preformed is what you typically find in some prenatals (if it says on the label "as beta carotene", you're good to go--some of the pricier prenatals will give you beta carotene instead of preformed), and in many "fortified" cereals. But pre-formed vitamin A also occurs naturally in many foods (but usually not in huge amounts)---except for liver. While liver is a very healthy food, do not eat a whole serving of it every day during pregnancy or you'll likely raise your risk. Do some research on the foods you like, and find out how much preformed vitamin A is contained in a serving, then you'll be able to make your own decisions on what is safe for you to eat. The typical American diet is perfectly fine and well within the range of safe.
Please, please, for your sake and your baby's, do not avoid vitamin A. Yes, the increased risk of problems is real, but it is only increased if you take in huge amounts of preformed vitamin A (which is why you can't take accutane or other retinoids---a compound of vitamin A), and it only looks to be increased if these mega-doses are consumed in the first trimester.
If it helps put it in perspective, mega-doses of vitamin C cause miscarraige---not just increase the risk, they actually can straight up make it happen. But it takes ridiculous amounts of it to happen ;-)
Just live by the "everything in moderation" motto, and don't double up on your prenatals. But this is a great place to turn if you have questions like this, and you're bound to run across more stuff you're not sure of. When that happens, just let the questions fly!
Congrats on your impending motherhood!!! How far along are you?
Fish:
Yes, tuna *can* be bad. But that doesn't mean it is. You can actually eat a fairly large amount of tuna in one sitting and do no harm to yourself or your baby because humans can flush mercury out of their systems (in a way that fish can't). That's why when you see the recommendations for tuna and other fish high on the food chain, it always includes a time frame ("x amount per week" or month, etc). Also note, that it's not so much "large" fish, it's fish that are high on the food chain. Almost all seafood has at least teeny tiny amounts of mercury. When you take a fish that eats other fish, then they are taking in all the mercury from the fish they consume, and so on up the food chain. The government publishes levels found in various types of fish. I've found them through internet searches very easily. (As a side note, there has been some concern about mercury in fish oil capsules, so until more research is done, I make sure to get omega three that is made from algae instead of fish, to minimize any mercury exposure, especially since it's something you take daily).
Eggs:
Eggs are incredibly healthy foods. For a while, everyone was scared of the cholesterol---except that the whites contain lecithin which basically vaporizes cholesterol so it's all broken down automatically for you. Then they were scared of the fat in the yolks (an average egg has 5 grams of fat, and 4 of them are in the yolk)---except that it's the good fat that we all need more of (like fish oil!). Eggs are one of the worlds most perfect foods and a great way to sneak more protein into your diet. As long as they are properly cooked, you really can't get enough of these little guys.
Leafy Greens/Spinach/Vitamin A:
First and foremost, vitamin A is absolutely CRUCIAL to your developing baby---do NOT avoid this vitamin (it is necessary for proper cell growth' eye, heart, limb, and ear development' healthy skin and mucous membranes. infection resistance, bone growth' and fat metabolism. It's also vital for you to maintain your body during the stress of pregnancy). Second, there are two ways to get vitamin A, "preformed" and as beta carotene. As beta carotene, you can eat piles of it every day---your body will only convert what it needs. This is the form found in fruits and vegetables. It's the pre-formed you have to be careful of. The preformed is what you typically find in some prenatals (if it says on the label "as beta carotene", you're good to go--some of the pricier prenatals will give you beta carotene instead of preformed), and in many "fortified" cereals. But pre-formed vitamin A also occurs naturally in many foods (but usually not in huge amounts)---except for liver. While liver is a very healthy food, do not eat a whole serving of it every day during pregnancy or you'll likely raise your risk. Do some research on the foods you like, and find out how much preformed vitamin A is contained in a serving, then you'll be able to make your own decisions on what is safe for you to eat. The typical American diet is perfectly fine and well within the range of safe.
Please, please, for your sake and your baby's, do not avoid vitamin A. Yes, the increased risk of problems is real, but it is only increased if you take in huge amounts of preformed vitamin A (which is why you can't take accutane or other retinoids---a compound of vitamin A), and it only looks to be increased if these mega-doses are consumed in the first trimester.
If it helps put it in perspective, mega-doses of vitamin C cause miscarraige---not just increase the risk, they actually can straight up make it happen. But it takes ridiculous amounts of it to happen ;-)
Just live by the "everything in moderation" motto, and don't double up on your prenatals. But this is a great place to turn if you have questions like this, and you're bound to run across more stuff you're not sure of. When that happens, just let the questions fly!
Congrats on your impending motherhood!!! How far along are you?
Thanks, i LOVE spicy food, i put hot sauce on everything (pasta, rice, corn[yes im a weirdo]) anyway, were going to sonic tonight with a bunch of friends (were in a truck club and every week they meet up for a night) and i want a chilidog....my mouth is watering now =) mmmmmm food....about the weight, with Aidyn, all 5 months i gained 7 lbs, well my last appointment, she weighed me and i gained 6, yesterday it said i had lost 3, i dont think the nurse waiting for the little thingy to stop moving before she wrote down my weight....im only up 3 lbs so far...Thanks Mumita, i know whats for dinner!!
You can eat hotdogs with chili, just make sure its cooked well and for your health's sake, don't eat one every day or you'll gain those 35 pounds in 2 weeks!
If you can stomach spicy food (that's all I crave) and not get heartburn, go for it!
If you can stomach spicy food (that's all I crave) and not get heartburn, go for it!
(i know your not suppose to have hot dogs due to listeria, same with deli meat, as long as its steaming hot, does the same go for hot dogs?)
glad someone is on this topic....i hate seafood, only becasue growing up, my parents would go fishing, bring back all their catch and we ate fish for weeks....BUT every now and again, i crave it. Like right now, i really want to go to Long John Silvers (not sure why, just sounds yummy) so is it safe to have a piece of fish from there? i forgot to ask at my appointment yesterday, she was in such a rush anyway!! and im also DYING for a nice HOT chili dog with extra onions...can i eat that?
I think all foods in moderation is good. The only foods I abstain from are raw eggs and honey. I don't like seafood so I don't have to worry about eating fish. Worrying about what to eat will drive you crazy. If I want an ice cream or a small bag of mini eggs then I go for it. I am 21 weeks tomorrow and have yet to gain weight. I eat pretty healthy but I also indulge in junk food.
I agree, all things in moderation are the key...You'd have to eat an INSANE amount of spinach in order to get an overdose on vitamin a...a serving or two would be good for you!
I also just read an article at my ob's office about eggs and it said that ounce for ounce it is the best protein source compared to ALL other proteins because it is the only protein that contains ALL 9 of the essential amino acids, it has protein, and it has something called choline which is essential for eye and brain development. I eat a (well cooked) egg every day.
I also just read an article at my ob's office about eggs and it said that ounce for ounce it is the best protein source compared to ALL other proteins because it is the only protein that contains ALL 9 of the essential amino acids, it has protein, and it has something called choline which is essential for eye and brain development. I eat a (well cooked) egg every day.
Ah, yeah I know a lot of people that don't like seafood. I couldn't go 9 months without food from the ocean. Chunk light tuna is ok as long as you are not eating it regularly, but Albacore tuna is high on mercury. But I forget that tuna is fish :P
Tilapia is delicious, I love most fish :)
Tilapia is delicious, I love most fish :)
All things in moderation that's what I do. I eat fish twice a week, but never shark or mackrel and never more than one serving of tuna in a week. I'm a sushi nut so I did tons of research on seafood when I got my appetite back and started to crave it again. The big reason they say not to have sushi when pregnant is the same thing that makes it dangerous when your not pregnant. In some cases bacteria in the fish can make you sick and when your pregnant it's not just bad for you, but also the baby. So far I'm sticking to cooked sushi and avoiding sashimi. Why risk it?
You should avoid any raw shellfish like oysters or clams, but cooked is fine. Mumita is right you would have to eat spinach three times a day for it to be a problem.
You should avoid any raw shellfish like oysters or clams, but cooked is fine. Mumita is right you would have to eat spinach three times a day for it to be a problem.
Wait- I will admit that I do like tilapia. For some reason that is a really good fish to me.
Mumita- I avoid it because I hate seafood (LOL)! My doctor told me shellfish was fine (yuck) and to avoid ALL tuna now because many tuna are turning out to have high levels of mercury.
FDA says that seafood is perfectly safe during pregnancy. The problem is with large fish that live longer and so mercury stays in their body longer and accumulates in the fatty tissue. Seafood like shrimp and lobster have minimal ammounts of mercury and they are safe to eat.
Fish is great to eat during pregnancy in moderation. Big fish like shark or Albacore tuna should be limited to a minimum but small fish in general and seafood is great to eat once or twice a week. Vitamin A is not good for you in an artificial form but eating it in foods that have natural vitamin A is fine. You would have to eat pounds of Spinach every day to have a bad effect on you.
Eggs are a great source of protein and great to eat during pregnancy, just don't eat eggs that are not cooked completely or are raw so skip runny eggs.
Limit caffeinne to a minimum, and also limit artificial foods like artificial sweetners and artificial coloring or foods that have a lot of sodium in them.
Eggs are a great source of protein and great to eat during pregnancy, just don't eat eggs that are not cooked completely or are raw so skip runny eggs.
Limit caffeinne to a minimum, and also limit artificial foods like artificial sweetners and artificial coloring or foods that have a lot of sodium in them.
Certain fish can be safe but there are certain fish that are NOT safe during pregnancy because they contain high levels of mercury. So I avoid seafood all together and just take an Omega3 vitamin.
Eggs are definitely a healthy food when pregnant... when prepared properly (no eggs over easy!).
If you're worried about any food (such as spinach) just avoid it and find alternatives. I personally LOVE romaine lettuce. Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value so you don't need to eat that. There's many varieties out there.
Eggs are definitely a healthy food when pregnant... when prepared properly (no eggs over easy!).
If you're worried about any food (such as spinach) just avoid it and find alternatives. I personally LOVE romaine lettuce. Iceberg lettuce has no nutritional value so you don't need to eat that. There's many varieties out there.
Honestly, I eat everything in moderation. Yes, leafy greens, veggies, meats, and fish are all fine, you just don't want to eat fish every single day or eat too much tuna in one week. I have an egg every morning and did when I was pregnant with my son as well. My midwife told me to eat things with nothing artificial added in, and try not to eat too much sugar. Of course that is hard to do all the time, but I am trying. Basically, your doc should give you a list of things to eat and avoid, and I would just follow that as best as you can. The internet is good sometimes, but you will always come across a site that says one thing and the next will contradict what you just read. Follow the docs orders and make healthy choices. =)
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