What not to eat when pregnant 1
What not to eat when pregnant
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This section includes information on what foods or drinks to avoid or take care with in pregnancy.
It also provides up to date advice on foods that are safe to eat and can be enjoyed. This information may be useful if you are pregnant, know someone that’s pregnant or are interested in learning more about diet and pregnancy.
In this section you will find information on:
- Dairy foods
o Soft cheeses and unpasteurised (‘raw’) milk and cream
- Other foods
o Liquorice
Don’t forget that food safety and hygiene to reduce the risk of food poisoning is also important. You can find information about this in our section Food safety in pregnancy
What food and drinks need to be avoided in pregnancy and why?
It is important to eat a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy, not only to help the baby grow healthily and give them the best start in life but also to help mum-to-be feel her best too.
However, during pregnancy there are certain foods and drinks that are recommended to be avoided or taken care with as there’s a small risk they might make mum-to-be ill or harm the baby.
If mums-to-be are concerned about anything they've eaten or drunk they should talk to their GP or midwife, but it is important to recognise that the risk of getting food related illnesses during pregnancy is low
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Dairy foods
Cheeses
Avoid
- Soft cheeses with white rinds such as brie, camembert and others with a similar rind, including goats' cheese with a rind (sometimes known as chèvre)
- Soft blue-veined cheeses such as Danish blue, gorgonzola and Roquefort
Can be risky because…
These cheeses can contain listeria bacteria that cause listeriosis. Although an infection with listeria is extremely serious in pregnancy, it is very rare.
For example, between 2006 and 2015 in England and Wales, on average there were about 180 cases reported per year, and only about 1 in 8 of those was pregnancy related.
For example, between 2006 and 2015 in England and Wales, on average there were about 180 cases reported per year, and only about 1 in 8 of those was pregnancy related.
Enjoy
If the cheeses listed above have been cooked thoroughly (steaming hot all the way through) they are safe to eat in pregnancy as this will kill any harmful bacteria.
There are though lots of soft or semi-soft cheeses that are safe to eat in pregnancy. These include:
- cottage cheese
- mozzarella
- feta
- cream cheese
- paneer
- ricotta
- halloumi
- some types of goats' cheese
- processed cheeses, such as cheese spreads and singles (slices)
All hard cheeses are safe to eat, even if they are unpasteurised, or blue veined (such as stilton), because they contain less water and so bacteria is less likely to grow.
These include:
- cheddar
- red Leicester
- double Gloucester
- Wensleydale
- edam
- emmental
- gouda
- gruyère
- jarlsberg
- parmesan
- stilton
Cheese is a good provider of nutrients such as calcium but remember that many cheeses are high in saturated fat and salt, and these should be eaten in moderation.
Check the food label to choose reduced fat versions and those lower in salt.
Do I have to avoid all types of goats’ cheese?
Soft goats' cheese should be avoided, such as chèvre or others with a similar rind. These may be served in restaurants in dishes such as goats' cheese salad.
But not all goats’ cheese is unsafe to eat……..
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Unpasteurised milk and cream
Avoid
- Unpasteurised milk and cream
Unpasteurised or ‘raw’ milk (from cows’, goats’ or sheep) and ‘raw’ cream may contain harmful bacteria that cause food poisoning so should be avoided during pregnancy. These can be sold at farmers markets and farm shops.
In England unpasteurised milk and cream must carry a warning saying that it has not been heat-treated and may contain harmful bacteria.
In Wales there must be an additional warning for vulnerable groups (which includes pregnant women).
Raw drinking milk and cream is banned in Scotland.
Enjoy
Milks and yogurts sold in shops, supermarkets and restaurants in the UK are pasteurised and fine but do take care about the cheeses that you buy, particularly soft blue veined or cheeses with rinds if you are not using them in cooking.
What if mum-to-be has already eaten something risky?
There is no need to panic. It is important to recognise that the risk of getting food related illnesses during pregnancy is low, and if it didn't make the mum-to-be ill at the time, it's unlikely to have harmed either the mother or baby.
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Eggs, meat, fish and other proteins
Eggs
Avoid
- Raw or undercooked hen eggs NOT produced under the British Lion code
- Raw or undercooked duck eggs, quail eggs and goose eggs
- Eggs from outside of the UK
Eggs produced under the British Lion scheme are produced under stringent hygiene and welfare standards.
Remember that these raw eggs can be used to make foods such as homemade or restaurant made mayonnaises, soufflés, mousses and some ice creams, so if you are unsure do check that they have been made using UK Lion eggs.
Enjoy
The good news is that pregnant women can safely eat raw or lightly cooked hen eggs, or foods containing them, that are produced under the British Lion Code of Practice. More than 90% of UK eggs are produced this way and carry the British Lion mark. This is because the British Lion Code of Practice ensures high standards of food safety and this scheme has drastically reduced the presence of salmonella in UK eggs.
Non British Lion eggs and non-hens eggs are typically safe to eat if they have been cooked until the whites and yolks are solid. Thoroughly cooking eggs will kill any salmonella bacteria.
Most shop-bought mayonnaises, dressings and ice creams contain pasteurised eggs so are safe to eat.
Meat
Avoid
- Raw or undercooked meat
- Raw cured meats for example Parma ham (prosciutto), chorizo, pepperoni and salami.
A parasite that causes toxoplasmosis is found in raw and undercooked meat, unpasteurised goats' milk, soil, cat litter or faeces (poo), and untreated water.
Enjoy
During pregnancy meat can still be enjoyed as part of a healthy, balanced diet but should be cooked thoroughly with no pink meat or blood left (so well cooked and not rare meat). Be especially careful with poultry (e.g. chicken, turkey), pork, sausages and minced meat, including burgers and meatballs.
Cold cooked meats like turkey, beef and chicken and pre-packed meats such as ham and corned beef are safe to eat in pregnancy.
Thoroughly cooking cured/fermented meats, like salami, prosciutto, chorizo and pepperoni will reduce the risk, for example pepperoni on a pizza or chorizo in a pasta dish. NHS Choices also advise that freezing such cured or fermented meats for four days at home will reduce the risk from parasites, as freezing kills most parasites and makes the meat safer to eat.
Pregnant women who are eating out in a restaurant that sells cold cured or fermented meats, may want to ask if it’s been frozen or to avoid eating it to be on the safe side.
Liver and pâté
Avoid
All types of pâté should be avoided.
- Liver and liver products such as liver pâté and sausage
- All types of pâté, even fish, crab and vegetarian pâtés
Liver and liver products can have high levels of vitamin A, which can be harmful to the baby.
All types of pâté may contain listeria bacteria which can cause food poisoning.
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Fish and shellfish
Fish is a great provider of nutrients in pregnancy but remember to:
Avoid
- Shark, marlin and swordfish
- Raw shellfish
- Raw or lightly cooked wild fish (see Word on raw fish, wild fish and sushi below)
Shark, marlin and swordfish can contain high levels of mercury that can harm your baby’s developing nervous system.
Raw shellfish carries a risk of food poisoning unless the fish has been frozen first.
Limit
Oily fish can also contain mercury. Therefore, no more than two portions of oily fish (e.g. salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel) and certain non-oily fish (e.g. dogfish, sea bass, sea bream, turbot, halibut, crab) should be consumed each week.
Tuna should also be limited to no more than two fresh tuna steaks (about 140g cooked or 170g raw each) or four medium-sized cans a week (about 140g per can when drained).
Enjoy
Eating fish is good for mum-to-be and for the baby’s development, because it is a good source of many vitamins and minerals, and oily fish contains essential omega 3 fatty acids.
Pregnant women should try to eat one portion (140g) of oily fish a week, and as long as they don't eat more than two portions a week, the health benefits of eating oily fish are far greater than the risks from the mercury content.
There's no need for pregnant women to limit the amount of white fish and well-cooked shellfish they eat.
A word on raw fish, wild fish and sushi
| Under EU regulation certain fishery products intended to be eaten raw in dishes (such as sushi or cold smoked) need to be frozen before use to protect consumers against parasites. Sushi containing farmed fish, such as farmed salmon, is very unlikely to contain parasitic worms. Wild fish such as wild Atlantic salmon or sea trout caught at sea or in UK rivers can sometimes contain parasitic worms and harmful bacteria. The Foods Standards Agency advise either freezing the fish before eating and/or cooking thoroughly will kill any worms and bacteria. For more advice on eating wild fish see NHS Choices |
Peanuts
Peanuts are safe to eat in pregnancy, if mums-to-be do not have a peanut allergy.
In the past if there was a history of allergies in the immediate family the UK Government advised against eating peanuts during pregnancy, because it was thought that they may increase the chance of the baby developing a peanut allergy.
However more recent research did not suggest an increased risk and health advice was changed, so pregnant women can now choose to eat peanuts or foods containing peanuts (such as peanut butter) as part of a healthy, balanced diet, unless of course they are allergic to them. Concerns about risk of peanut allergy can be discussed with a GP or midwife, or a suitable health professional.
