There are foods, or more accurately additives and contaminants found in some foods, that can adversely impact the in utero baby brain.
Avoid artificial food dyes
If an item contains artificial food dye… three words: don’t eat it. Artificial food dyes are considered neurotoxic – toxic to the brain. There is a direct link to ADHD. They inhibit a child’s ability to learn.
Artificial dyes are made from a by-product of petroleum. They are found in many junk foods including candy, some ice creams (mint chocolate chip and pistachio ice creams should not be green), some popsicles, soda, colored frosting, some juice-type drinks that are not 100% juice, some energy bars, and some breakfast cereals. Time to sharpen those label reading skills and make label reading a priority while grocery shopping. The most common artificial food dyes are Yellow #5, Blue #1, and Red #40. Eww!
Avoid preservatives
Preservatives have horrifying side effects including cancer, infertility, and a weakened immune system. Again, read labels and avoid preservatives like sodium benzoate, sodium nitrate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), tertiary-butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), and polysorbate. They can be found in some (not all) processed foods like snack foods, crackers, breakfast cereals, salad dressings, non-dairy whipped topping, ice creams, cake mix, dehydrated potatoes, and bacon. Do not buy or consume foods that contain preservatives. Don’t even look at them – turn your nose up and ignore them!
Avoid the foodborne bacteria listeria
Be aware of the devastating dangers of listeria. Listeria is potentially fatal to the in utero baby. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “pregnant women are 10 times more likely than other people to get listeria infection. Pregnant Hispanic women are 24 times more likely than other people to get listeria infection.” Do not eat soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk which include queso blanco, queso fresco, panela, and asadero.
It is crucial you avoid unpasteurized milk, soft cheeses, deli meats, and deli salads. Ditch the deli!
According to Foodsafety.gov, you should avoid the following foods to reduce your risk of a listeria infection:
- Soft cheeses to avoid include brie, feta, Camembert, Roquefort, queso blanco, queso fresco, panela, and asadero.
- Deli meats to avoid include hot dogs, luncheon meats, cold cuts, fermented or dry sausage, meat spreads, pate, and other deli-style meats and poultry.
- Deli salads to avoid include ham salad, chicken salad, and seafood salad.
- Seafood to avoid: raw seafood (sushi, sashimi, raw oysters, raw clams, raw scallops, ceviche) and refrigerated smoked seafood (labeled as Nova-style, lox, kippered, smoked, jerky).
During my third pregnancy, I was walking on a treadmill at the gym while reading a magazine devoted specifically to pregnancy… which in the same issue warned of the distressing dangers of listeria in one article – then a few pages later suggested eating a turkey sandwich from the deli. Wait, what? No! Be informed. Be safe. Say no to sliced deli turkey, the cold-cut variety is risky (roasting a turkey and making a sandwich is considered safe).
Avoid and be on guard against toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. The Centers for Disease Control website (CDC.gov) explains toxoplasmosis can be caused by ingesting a parasite spread through contaminated cat feces, undercooked meats, or fruits and vegetables that were exposed to contaminated soil or water.
If a pregnant woman is exposed to toxoplasmosis, her baby can suffer from blindness or mental disability.
- If you are a cat owner, keep your cat inside, as a cat can become infected with the parasite by eating birds, rodents, or other small animals.
- Do not be the one to clean the cat litter box. If no one else can do it, wear gloves and wash your hands well afterward.
- Wear gloves while gardening as the soil may be contaminated with cat feces.
- Avoid stray cats.
- Cook meats to safe temperatures.
- Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.
Avoid mercury
Mercury is a highly toxic poison that attacks the nervous system and kidneys and interferes with brain development. I cannot bring myself to quote estimates for the number of babies born each year at risk of learning disabilities because of in utero exposure to mercury, so I’ve provided a (link). Talk to your doctor.
Also, follow the guidelines suggested by Seafood Watch, a program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium that makes recommendations for seafood consumption based on safety and sustainability. They are a reliable resource that can help you make healthy choices.
Be safe and avoid eating large, predatory fish like swordfish, shark, pike, albacore, and halibut. These fish have the highest mercury levels because they are at the top of the food chain. Mercury concentration increases with each advance up the food chain as small fish are ingested by medium-sized fish that are then ingested by large fish. You get the picture – more toxins accumulate and are found in large fish, don’t eat them.
The most common means of exposure to mercury is from eating tuna and sushi. So don’t.
Another concern is silver-colored dental fillings. If you have metal fillings, do not have them removed while pregnant as the mercury vapor released is far more toxic and dangerous than leaving the filling alone.
Avoid eating raw shellfish during pregnancy because of the risk of contamination. Thoroughly cooked shellfish may be okay but check with your doctor first.
Shaping the future is hard, but you’re doing it – yay! It all starts with being informed – you came, you saw, and now you conquer!