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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Look before you eat

Avoid eating out often during the first few months

Pregnant women need to be careful about what they eat, especially during the first trimester when foetal development is rapid and profound, and is sensitive to dietary toxins and germs.

Choosing safe foods is tricky: meat, fish, milk, and cheese are usually among the most healthful foods in pregnancy, but even they can occasionally cause serious harm to mother and baby.

Take fish, for example. It is full of lean protein and Omega-3 fatty acids and is among the best foods for pregnant women.

However, some fish contains high levels of mercury, dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Mercury damages the foetus’s brain and nerves, and PCBS can cause cancer.

Large and long-lived fish accumulate the toxins present in smaller prey and are thus most harmful. These toxins accumulate mostly in the outer layers, so skin and de-fat the fish before cooking.

Choose smaller fish and limit consumption to twice a week. Broiling, baking, steaming and grilling are the best methods of cooking fish.

Milk: Avoid unpasteurised milk. Soft French cheeses like brie and camembert can harbour bacteria such as listeria, which can cause miscarriages and stillbirths. Safe milk products include pasteurized milk and curd made from such milk, hard cheeses, cottage cheese, cream cheese and processed cheese.

Meat: Few eat raw meat in India, but even partially cooked meat can be harmful.

Toxoplasmosis caused by eating such meat damages the foetus’ brain, eyes and hearing. Meat safety begins with food storage: keep it away from vegetables and fruit in the refrigerator.

Clean the meat-cutting board with bleach, soap, and hot water before placing other foods on it.

Boil eggs for at least seven minutes or until the yolk and white are firm. Avoid recipes in which eggs remain raw or semi-cooked.

Although vegetarian foods are generally safer for pregnant women, even these require certain precautions. For example, the skins of carrot and potato, which contain many nutrients, also accumulate pesticides and insecticides. Peeling such foods before consumption is safer.

It is better to avoid restaurants and takeout food during pregnancy.

Food prepared in unhygienic conditions harbour germs that can be especially dangerous for pregnant women.

Hepatitis E, for example, is spread by faecally contaminated water and food and undercooked meat, and kills 15 to 25 percent of infected pregnant women.

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