Pregnant women are more vulnerable to certain infections than non pregnant women.
You can reduce your chances of getting food-borne illness by avoiding some types of food during pregnancy.
The following tables list some of the more common foods and fluids to avoid and suggest safer alternatives.
| Food to avoid | Safer alternative |
| Sprouts, Including alfalfa and radish sprouts. These may be contaminated with E. coli or salmonella even when cooked.
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Use washed lettuce, cucumbers, spinach or other vegetables instead. |
| Unwashed vegetables or fruit, as they may be contaminated with E. coli or salmonella or may cause toxoplasmosis.
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Thoroughly wash vegetables and fruit before eating. Keep cut vegetables and fruit in the fridge. |
| Unpasteurized juices and ciders, which may be found at farmer’s markets, roadside stands, juice bars or the produce section of some grocery stores. | Choose pasteurized juices and ciders. Check the label for the word ‘pasteurized’. Most juices sold in Canada are pasteurized including those on the grocery shelf and bottled types that pop up when opened. Home squeezed juices are safe if the fruit and vegetable used is washed well in running water first.
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| Soft cheeses, including feta, brie, camembert, blue-veined varieties and Mexican-style cheeses (e.g. queso fresco, queso blanco) unless they are made with pasteurized milk or are cooked well. If the ingredient list does not say if the milk used was pasteurized, don’t use it or contact the company for more information. These foods have been associated with listeriosis.
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Cheddar, mozzarella or other firm cheeses, processed cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese and any cheese made with pasteurized milk are safer choices.
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| Raw or unpasteurized milk, this is milk that comes right from the animal and is not treated. It is illiegal to sell or give away this milk in Alberta. All milk sold in grocery stores is pasteurized. Raw and unpasteurized milk can cause listeriosis and toxoplasmosis.
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Choose pasteurized milk.
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| Limit liver to one serving (75 grams or 2 1/2 oz) every two weeks. Although liver has many important nutrients, it is high in vitamin A. Very high amounts of vitamin A can harm a developing baby. | Eat no more than one 75 g (2 1/2 oz) serving of liver every two weeks.
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Avoid eating deli meat (packaged cold cuts or bought at the deli counter) and hot dogs (weiners) unless heated until steaming hot, to at least 74°C (165°F). These foods increase the risk of listeriosis.
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Choose pâtés and meat spreads sold in cans or those that don’t need to be refrigerated until after they are opened. |
| Avoid raw or undercooked meat, chicken and fish(including sushi). These foods increase the risk of many types of food-borne illness.
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Cook meat, chicken and fish to a safe internal temperature. |
| Avoid raw or undercooked (soft) eggs, including sauces that contain raw or undercooked eggs. These foods increase the risk of salmonella. Don’t buy eggs that aren’t graded. | Cook egg dishes thoroughly to a safe internal temperature. Cook eggs until the yolk is firm.
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| Some fish are high in mercury and should be avoided, including fresh or frozen tuna, shark, swordfish, escolar, marlin and orange roughy.
Follow advice from Health Canada to limit your exposure to environmental contaminants such as mercury. For information visit:www.healthcanada.gc.ca/mercuryandfish Alberta: www.mywildalberta.ca/fishing |
Eating fish has many health benefits. Fish is a good source of protein and healthy fats that help the development of your baby’s brain and eyes. Canada’s Food Guide recommends eating at least 2 servings of fish per week. Some good types of fish include: salmon, trout, mackerel, halibut, pollock (Boston bluefish), char, sole, canned light tuna, cod, herring and sardines.
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