Foods to Limit or Avoid
What’s off the menu?
Here’s what you should eat less of, or avoid altogether, during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Caffeine:
Limit your caffeine intake to 300 mg/day, the equivalent of 1 to 2 cups of coffee. Beware of ‘energy’ drinks-they can be loaded with caffeine.
Herbal teas:
For a warm, relaxing drink, try citrus, ginger, lemon, orange or rose hip herbal teas (up to 3 cups/day). Other teas may have a harmful effect.
Ready-to-eat meats:
Deli meats, patés and hot dogs all bring a slight risk of listeria infection.
Raw or undercooked meat, poultry and eggs:
(including “rare” burgers, steaks and runny eggs) can harbour harmful bacteria such as salmonella.
Unpasteurized foods:
(including milk, juices and cheeses) can also contain illness-causing bacteria
Certain type of Fish and shellfish:
(including swordfish, marlin, orange roughy, escolar and shark) may contain high levels of mercury. Limit consumption of these types of fish to no more than 150 g per month (approximately 1 cup). Also avoid raw or undercooked shellfish.
But, don’t shy away from other fish. Fish is an excellent source of DHA (an Omega-3 fat), which supports baby’s normal brain and eye development. Experts recommend eating at least 2 servings (of 75 g or 2 ½ oz each) of fish a week*. Choose fish that are high in DHA and low in mercury such as salmon, mackerel, herring, rainbow trout, canned light tuna, sole and hake.
