FOOD CONTROL FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

Dispel the rumors and clarify the myths about
foods that are healthy during pregnancy and
those to steer clear of.
By Arihalam Valentine

Red-Light Foods
..............................
During your pregnancy there are a few things
that might stress you out, but eating shouldn't

be one of them. Unfortunately, all of the advice
you hear -- from friends, family, and yes, even
total strangers -- about what is and isn't safe
during pregnancy is enough to confuse anyone.
"There are a lot of old wives' tales out there,"
says Elizabeth Ward, RD, of Reading,
Massachusetts. So if you're wondering what's
okay to eat (and whether you have to give your
favorite foods the boot for nine months), check
out our guide.
Foods to Avoid
Why are some foods off-limits when you're
pregnant -- but fine if you're not? First, changes
to your immune system now make you more
vulnerable to food-borne illnesses. What
would've meant stomach upset before could
mean serious complications now -- from
dehydration to miscarriage.
So to be safe, avoid the common culprits of
food-borne illness:

Eggs: Because raw eggs may be tainted with
salmonella, a bacterium that can cause fever,
vomiting, and diarrhea, watch out for restaurant-
made Caesar salad dressing, homemade eggnog,
raw cookie dough, and soft scrambled or sunny-
side up eggs -- any dish in which the eggs (both
yolk and white) are not cooked completely. "If
eggs are cooked, the risk is gone," adds
Madeleine Sigman-Grant, PhD, maternal child
health and nutrition extension specialist at the
University of Nevada.
Sushi: With the exception of California rolls and
other cooked items, sushi is not safe when
you're expecting, either, because it may contain
illness-inducing parasites.
Unpasteurized Juice: Stay away from juice (like
cider) sold at farm stands; it may not have
undergone pasteurization, a processing method
that kills bacteria and toxins. Though the
majority of milk and juices sold in stores today
are pasteurized, there are still some brands on
shelves that aren't, so read labels.
Other foods are unsafe due to possible
contaminants that can harm the fetus:

Some Varieties of Fish: Fish, which boasts
omega-3 fatty acids that help baby's brain
development, is a great meal choice right now.
But some varieties should be shunned due to
high levels of methyl-mercury, a pollutant that
can affect baby's nervous system. These include
swordfish, shark, and tilefish -- all big species
that live longer, accumulating more mercury in
their flesh. (You may want to avoid these fish
entirely during your childbearing years because
your body stores mercury for up to four years,
Ward advises.)
In fact, most types of fish contain traces of
mercury, so you'll want to limit your weekly
consumption of safer varieties too. According to
the newest guidelines from the FDA, you can
enjoy up to 12 ounces a week (roughly two
meals) of lower-mercury fish such as salmon,
catfish, pollack, shrimp, and canned light tuna.
Of those 12 ounces, only 6 should come from
canned "white" albacore tuna, which tends to
contain more mercury than light tuna. If you're
eating fish caught in local waters, check online
with your state's department of health for
advisories (if you can't find any information, limit
yourself to 6 ounces).
Yellow-Light Foods
Some foods are fine in small amounts, but don't
go overboard.

High Levels of Caffeine: When it comes to
caffeine, "the studies can be very confusing,"
says Sigman-Grant. While one small study did
link caffeine to increased health risks in the
fetus, stronger studies have shown that caffeine
is not harmful in moderate amounts. So currently
the guidelines suggest no more than 300
milligrams per day, roughly the amount found in
two or three 8-ounce cups of coffee. And that
comes as a relief to many moms-to-be.
Stephanie McClure, a mother of two, in
Westerville, Ohio, had a terrible time going cold
turkey. "After a few months I went to my doctor
and asked if there was any way I could have just
a little bit of coffee," remembers McClure, who
says her doctor gave the okay for a couple of
cups a day. "I immediately ran to Starbucks and
ordered a mocha latte."
Nitrate-Rich Foods: It's also smart to go easy
on hot dogs (which should always be eaten
cooked) and cured meats such as bacon and
sausage. These contain nitrates, additives that
have been called into question for possible links
to brain tumors and diabetes. Although studies
aren't conclusive, it makes sense to limit your
consumption -- these foods aren't great
nutritional choices anyway. What about your
beloved diet sodas? They're considered safe
during pregnancy and, beyond not being a stellar
nutritional choice, there's no scientific evidence
that they cause harm. But on the downside, at
least one artificial sweetener (saccharin) that's
often found in diet sodas does cross the
placenta, and artificially sweetened drinks are
usually low in nutritional value. So again, we
recommend moderation.
Green-Light Foods
Good news! A few foods you may have thought
were forbidden actually aren't.
Soft Cheeses: Soft cheeses such as Brie, feta,
and Gorgonzola were once considered potentially
harmful because they can harbor listeria.
Listeriosis, an illness caused by the bacteria
listeria, can be passed to the fetus, leading to
miscarriage, premature delivery, or stillbirth.
However, the FDA now allows soft cheese during
pregnancy, as long as it's made with pasteurized
milk. Most cheese sold in the United States is,
but "don't ever take that for granted," says
Ward. It's still important to check labels,
especially with imported brands. If you live in a
border state, steer clear of soft Mexican cheeses
like queso blanco in markets (they aren't
typically pasteurized).
Cooked Deli Meats: When Jennifer Vito, a mom
in San Antonio, heard that deli meat was also
off-limits because of listeriosis concerns, she
found it difficult to eliminate it when she was
expecting. "If I can't have deli meat, what am I
supposed to eat for lunch?" she says. "I ate a lot
of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and
snacked on veggies." But deli meat is fine during
pregnancy as long as you heat it first to kill
bacteria (pop your sandwich in the microwave or
order a hot or toasted sandwich at the deli --
just make sure the meat is steaming before you
eat it). "It's a pain to heat it, but it would be
worse to get listeriosis," says Ward. If you would
prefer to pass on deli meat, try other high-
protein lunches like a veggie burger, a bean
burrito, or chicken salad made with some leftover
grilled chicken breast and low-fat mayo

Fresh Produce: Finally, fruits and veggies should
be a staple in your diet, especially during
pregnancy, because they're high in vitamins and
fiber. But take a few commonsense precautions:
Rewash bagged lettuce (even if the label says
it's triple-washed) to wash away any possible
traces of salmonella or E. coli. In fact, you
should wash the outside of all fruits and
vegetables -- even if you're not going to eat the
skin. "Otherwise you drag the germs into the
flesh when you cut it," says Sigman-Grant.
But what's the bottom-line best advice on what
to eat these nine months? Mix it up. "Don't rely
on the same foods every day," Sigman-Grant
says. "You dramatically diminish your risk of
being exposed to something harmful if you eat a
variety." What's more, by varying your diet,
you'll also deliver a healthy mix of nutrients to
your growing baby.

The News on Alcohol
Alcohol has long been considered a no-no during
pregnancy. But many doctors still advise their
patients that an occasional drink is okay. "My
doctor told me I could have up to 4 ounces of
red wine once or twice a week and that it would
actually be good for me," remembers Amy Quinn,
a mom in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. So have the
rules on drinking changed?
Absolutely not, warn many experts. Heavy
drinking can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
(FAS), which causes mental retardation and a
host of abnormalities. But according to the
March of Dimes, even moderate drinking may
lead to more subtle physical and mental
damage. And because no one knows exactly
what amount of alcohol causes FAS, it's smart
to steer clear.

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