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Because the world just had to know this, apparently Amal Clooney (George’s wife) is eating a lot of pasta and risotto during her pregnancy. At the same time I came across that information, well, I also came across an article about “six surprising foods you should avoid during pregnancy.” (Sprouts is on there, as is licorice and cantaloupe.)
Assuming we all know that staying off alcohol and reducing coffee is a generally good idea during pregnancy, I wanted to make a list of some foods to avoid during pregnancy as a frame of reference:
- Here’s a list of 23, including “many restaurant-made salads”
- American Pregnancy Association has a list that means you need to say goodbye to soft cheeses
- The government’s Food Safety division is going to harsh your mellow on cookie dough (probably for the best)
- The Mayo Clinic has a good list, including specifics on types of fish to avoid
- Here’s another list from WhatToExpect
If you go through the various lists, you’ll find probably north of 200 things you’re supposed to avoid. A couple of notes about that: when you first find 200+ foods you can’t eat, it’s a little depressing and pregnancy seems overwhelming. But some of these are suggestions more than hard fact. The No. 1 thing to do is talk to your doctor. The No. 2 thing to do is talk to other friends who have gone through pregnancy. If this is your second or third pregnancy, hopefully you have context and notes from the previous ones about what foods were good/bad for you. It’s all about doing research, talking to people, and learning your body’s specific needs. No BuzzFeed-style list can ultimately give you that.
Pregnancy is one of the most joyous times of your life. Don’t let some food recommendations stand in the way. Millions of people have been through it just fine, in countries with widely-ranging availability of food. If you have any specific questions, always feel free to reach out. I’m definitely not a nutritionist or anything, but I’ve worked with lots of moms on questions like this.
