Foods to avoid in pregnancy - NHS

Caffeine. You can have caffeine, but no more than 200mg per day. There is: 100mg in a mug of instant coffee; 140mg in a mug of filter coffee; 75mg in a mug of ... Skiptomaincontent Home Pregnancy Keepingwellinpregnancy Backto Keepingwellinpregnancy Foodstoavoidinpregnancy Mostfoodsanddrinksaresafetohaveduringpregnancy.Buttherearesomethingsyoushouldbecarefulwithoravoid. Cheese,milkandotherdairy Whatyoucaneatpasteurisedorunpasteurisedhardcheeses,suchascheddar,Gruyereandparmesanpasteurisedsemi-hardcheeses,suchasEdamandStiltonpasteurisedsoftcheeses,suchascottagecheese,mozzarella,feta,creamcheese,paneer,ricotta,halloumi,goats'cheesewithoutawhitecoatingontheoutside(rind)andprocessedcheesespreadssoftorbluecheese(pasteurisedorunpasteurised)thathasbeencookeduntilsteaminghotpasteurisedmilk,yoghurt,creamandicecreamWhattoavoidanyotherfoodsmadefromunpasteurisedmilk,suchassoftripenedgoats'cheesepasteurisedorunpasteurisedmould-ripenedsoftcheeseswithawhitecoatingontheoutside,suchasBrie,Camembertandchèvre(unlesscookeduntilsteaminghot)pasteurisedorunpasteurisedsoftbluecheeses,suchasDanishblue,GorgonzolaandRoquefort(unlesscookeduntilsteaminghot)unpasteurisedcows'milk,goats'milk,sheep'smilkorcreamWhyThere'sasmallchancethatunpasteurisedorsoftripeneddairyproductsmaycontainListeriabacteria.Thiscancauseaninfectioncalledlisteriosis.Listeriosiscanleadtomiscarriageorstillbirth,ormakeyournewbornbabyveryunwell.Softcheeseswithawhitecoatingontheoutsidehavemoremoisture.Thiscanmakeiteasierforbacteriatogrow.Cookingcheeseuntilit'ssteaminghotkillsbacteria,reducingtheriskoflisteriosis. Meatandpoultry Whatyoucaneatmeatssuchaschicken,porkandbeef,aslongasthey'rewell-cookedwithnotraceofpinkorblood;beespeciallycarefulwithpoultry,pork,sausagesandburgerscold,pre-packedmeatssuchashamandcornedbeefWhattobecarefulwithcoldcuredmeats,suchassalami,pepperoni,chorizoandprosciutto(unlesscookedthoroughly)Whattoavoidraworundercookedmeatliverandliverproductsalltypesofpâté,includingvegetarianpâtégamemeatssuchasgoose,partridgeorpheasantWhyThere'sasmallriskofgettingtoxoplasmosisifyoueatrawandundercookedmeat,whichcancausemiscarriage.Curedmeatsarenotcooked,sotheymayhaveparasitesinthemthatcausetoxoplasmosis.LiverandliverproductshavelotsofvitaminAinthem.Thiscanbeharmfultoanunbornbaby.Gamemeatsmaycontainleadshot. Eggs Whatyoucaneatraw,partiallycookedandfullycookedBritishLionheneggs(theyhavealionstamponthem)andheneggsproducedundertheLaidinBritainschemefoodsmadewithrawhenegg,suchasmousseandmayonnaise,ifmadewithBritishLioneggsorheneggsproducedundertheLaidinBritainschemewellcookedeggs(whiteandyolk)fromanyheneggsthatarenotBritishLioneggsorproducedundertheLaidinBritainschemewellcookedeggs(whiteandyolk)ofallothereggs,includingduck,gooseorquailWhattoavoidraworpartiallycookedheneggsthatarenotBritishLionorproducedundertheLaidinBritainschemeraworpartiallycookedduck,gooseorquaileggsWhyBritishLionheneggsandheneggsproducedundertheLaidinBritainschemearelesslikelytohavesalmonellainthem.Salmonellaisunlikelytoharmyourunbornbaby,butyoucouldgetfoodpoisoning.Youshouldcookalleggsthoroughly,unlesstheyareBritishLionheneggsorheneggsproducedundertheLaidinBritainscheme. Fish Whatyoucaneatcookedfishandseafoodsushi,aslongasthefishhasbeencookedthoroughlycookedshellfish,suchasmussels,lobster,crab,prawns,scallopsandclamscoldpre-cookedprawnsWhattobecarefulwithsmokedfish,suchassmokedsalmonandtrout Smokedfishandlisteria Duetoalisteriaoutbreaklinkedtosmokedfish,peopleathigherriskofseriousinfection(includingpeoplewhoarepregnant)shouldonlyeatsmokedfishproductsthathavebeenthoroughlycooked.Whencookingsmokedfishproductsathome,makesuretheyaresteaminghotallthewaythrough.FindoutmoreaboutthelisteriaoutbreakinsmokedfishfromtheFoodStandardsAgency Whattolimityoushouldeatnomorethan2portionsofoilyfishaweek,suchassalmon,trout,mackerelorherringyoushouldeatnomorethan2tunasteaks(about140gcookedor170graw)or4medium-sizecansoftuna(about140gwhendrained)perweek Information: TunadoesnotcountasanoilyfishYoucanhave2tunasteaks,or4medium-sizecansoffish,aswellas2portionsofoilyfish. WhattoavoidswordfishmarlinsharkrawshellfishWhyYoushouldlimittunabecauseithasmoremercuryinitthanotherfish.Ifyoueattoomuchmercury,itcanbeharmfultoyourunbornbaby.Youshouldlimitoilyfishbecausetheycanhavepollutantssuchasdioxinsandpolychlorinatedbiphenylsinthem.Ifyoueattoomuchofthese,theycanbeharmfultoyourunbornbaby.Youshouldavoidrawshellfishbecausetheycanhaveharmfulbacteria,virusesortoxinsinthem.Thesecanmakeyouunwellandgiveyoufoodpoisoning. Otherfoodsanddrinks CaffeineYoucanhavecaffeine,butnomorethan200mgperday.Thereis:100mginamugofinstantcoffee140mginamugoffiltercoffee75mginamugoftea(greenteacanhavethesameamountofcaffeineasregulartea)40mginacanofcola80mgina250mlcanofenergydrinklessthan25mgina50gbarofplaindarkchocolatelessthan10mgina50gbarofplainmilkchocolateAlcoholDrinkingalcoholinpregnancycanleadtolong-termharmtoyourbaby.Ifyou'repregnantorplanningtogetpregnant,thesafestapproachistonotdrinkalcoholatall.Thiskeepsriskstoyourbabytoaminimum.HerbalteasYoushoulddrinknomorethan4cupsofherbalteaaday.LiquoriceLiquoriceissafetoeat.Butyoushouldavoidliquoriceroot.Fruits,vegetablesandsaladsBecarefulwithfruits,vegetablesandsaladsastheycanhavesoilonthem,whichcanmakeyouunwell.Makesuretothoroughlywashallfruits,vegetablesandsaladingredients.PeanutsYoudonotneedtoavoideatingpeanutswhenyou'repregnant.Onlyavoideatingpeanutsifyou'readvisedtobyahealthcareprofessionalorifyouhaveanutallergy.VitaminsDonottakehigh-dosemultivitaminsupplements,oranysupplementswithvitaminAinthem. Urgentadvice:Call111if: youfeelunwellaftereatingoneofthefoodstoavoidyouhavesignsoflisteriosisortoxoplasmosisinfectionTrynottoworryifyou'veeatenoneofthefoodstoavoid. GetStart4LifepregnancyandbabyemailsSignupforStart4Life'sweeklyemailsforexpertadvice,videosandtipsonpregnancy,birthandbeyond. Morein Keepingwellinpregnancy Haveahealthydietinpregnancy Vegetarianorveganandpregnant Foodstoavoidinpregnancy Vitamins,supplementsandnutritioninpregnancy Exerciseinpregnancy Medicinesinpregnancy Mentalhealthinpregnancy Depressioninpregnancy Sexinpregnancy Travellinginpregnancy Workandpregnancy Yourbaby'smovements Reducingtheriskofstillbirth Drinkingalcoholwhilepregnant Stopsmokinginpregnancy Illegaldrugsinpregnancy Theflujabinpregnancy Whoopingcoughvaccinationinpregnancy Infectionsinpregnancythatmayaffectyourbaby Vaccinationsinpregnancy Pagelastreviewed:16April2020 Nextreviewdue:16April2023