Even consuming 2-3 cups of coffee a day may impair development of baby's liver.
If you're pregnant, you should be more careful about what you put into your mouth as what you eat and drink is shared with your growing baby. Therefore, you must avoid foods and beverages that may put your baby at risk. Sorry, coffee lovers, but you have to give it up while pregnant for the sake of your baby.
Excess caffeine intake during pregnancy may impair your baby's liver development and increase his/her risk of fatty liver disease in adulthood, warned a study published in the Journal of Endocrinology. Caffeine is found in both tea and coffee. This means you should limit or avoid drinking tea or coffee if you're expecting.
In the study, the researchers examined the effects of low (equivalent to 2-3 cups of coffee) and high doses (equivalent to 6-9 cups of coffee) of caffeine on pregnant rats.
They found that the offspring of pregnant rats, which were given caffeine, had lower birth weight, altered growth and stress hormone levels and impaired liver development.
Based on their findings, the researchers suggested that even consuming 2-3 cups of coffee a day may alter stress and growth hormone levels in a manner that can impair the development of the baby's liver.
Although these findings still need to be confirmed in people, the researchers recommended that women should avoid caffeine during pregnancy.
Since excess caffeine intake can affect sleep, drinking tea or coffee may deprive a pregnant woman of adequate rest, which can, in turn, harm both the mother and the child.
Below are some more foods and beverages to minimize or avoid completely during pregnancy.
Mercury is a highly toxic element that is commonly found in polluted seas. It may cause serious developmental problems in children, even in lower amounts. Therefore, pregnant and breastfeeding women are recommended to avoid eating large marine fish, which are likely to accumulate high amounts of mercury. These include shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tuna, etc.
Sushi fans may not be happy to hear this, but raw fish, especially shellfish, can cause several infections that may not only affect you but your growing baby too. When these infections are passed on to your baby, they can lead to serious, or even fatal, consequences.
For example, listeria bacteria can be passed on to your baby through the placenta. This can lead to premature delivery, miscarriage, stillbirth, and other serious health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It is not the sprouts that can cause harm to your baby, but the germs that may be lurking inside this healthy salad choice. Raw sprouts, including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts, are likely to be contaminated with Salmonella, the bacteria that can infect the intestinal tract.
The seeds require a humid environment to start sprouting and this provides favourable conditions for these kinds of bacteria to multiply. Therefore, it's best to avoid raw sprouts altogether during pregnancy.
