Pregnancy and Food Safety

Category:

By Jayde Johanssen

Pregnancy is an extremely special time of a woman's life. It's filled with changes and new experiences. Your body is charged with hormones and there's new life developing inside you. Given all the transformations that are taking place, the subject of what to eat, and also what not to eat get's a whole new meaning.

Food and dietary matters is all important for pregnant women, as they are eating for two (or perhaps more). Yet, it can often become a somewhat murky area. There's so much misinformation floating around out there that the facts become confused with the myths. Yet, despite all the mystery surrounding food and pregnancy, experts suggest that drastic changes aren't necessary.

Most nutritionists suggest that pregnant women beware of certain foods, while completely steering clear of others. A lot of this is general knowledge, but when you delve into the exact details, the fine print as it were, it can get rather confusing. It becomes difficult to decipher what's actually bad for you.

Family members are eager to dish out advice. Strangers even will offer you their supposed tried and true tips when it comes to diet and babies and giving birth, etc. All this often unsolicited information can be frustrating and confusing all at once. It doesn't help that those extra hormones make you delicately testy and moody.

Nor does it help that every day a new article seems to come out suggesting that such and such a food is dangerous or that alternatively, it's actually not so dangerous and that it does have some good effect. One day your favorite food is on the dangerous to eat list, and the next day it's not. All this information ends up boggling the mind.

Often when it comes down to it, this wealth of extraneous and incomplete knowledge leaves you more confused than you started off.

However, despite all the hullaballoo, when it comes down to what you should and shouldn't eat when you're with child, there are some simple basics you should keep in mind. Think smart, eat smart. Don't go overboard. Stick to a healthy diet.

Experts would agree that there are some simple rules to abide by when it comes down to it. These guidelines are actually really guidelines anyone should follow, with a few amendments.

You should always remember to wash all fruits and vegetables before you eat them. Remember too, to be careful with foods such as cantaloupe and water melon-the rinds can actually contain harmful bacteria that may be transferred to the fruit, so do wash them before you cut into them.

Cook food so that it is well done; this is especially true for poultry and other meats. Don't risk getting food poisoning.

Wash your hands before and after handling meat products.

Don't indulge in high fat junk food. Remember moderation is key.

Be wary of seafood. Certain fatty fish like shark and tile-fish contain dangerous amounts of mercury.

Instead opt for canned fish or smaller ocean fish.

Alcohol should be avoided.

About the Author: