What can I eat?

When you are pregnant everyday foods can be a threat to the health and development of your unborn baby. The Food Standards Agency gives Flying Start readers’ tips that makes pregnancy eating choices a piece of cake

Foods to avoid...
Pate

This can sometimes contain listeria, which is a type of food poisoning that can harm an unborn baby. Avoid all types of pate, including vegetarian options.Raw or partially cooked eggs

Eggs need to be cooked enough for both the white and yolk to be solid- so foods containing raw eggs such as home made mayonnaise; mousses and tiramisu should be avoided. This is to avoid the risk of food poisoning. Raw shellfish

Raw shellfish can sometimes contain harmful bacteria and viruses that could cause food poisoning. Make sure that you cook all shellfish thoroughly.Shark, swordfish & marlin

These fish can sometimes contain high levels of mercury, which could harm your baby’s developing nervous system so it’s advised that you should avoid eating theses fish.Certain meats

During your pregnancy you need to take a little extra care when cooking certain meats such as poultry, burgers, sausages, chicken nuggets, rolled joints and kebabs. This is because these types of meats can have bacteria all the way through them- so if they aren’t properly cooked then any bacteria in the meat might not be killed. Make sure that these products are cooked right the way through and are piping hot in the middle.

It’s fine for you to eat steaks and other whole cuts of meat rare during your pregnancy, as long a you ensure that the meat is sealed properly to kill any bacteria that may be present on the outside. You can also serve joints rare too, as long as the joint is a single piece of meat and not a rolled joint made from different pieces of meat rolled together.Certain Cheeses

It’s best to avoid eating cheeses made from unpasteurised milk and certain soft cheeses such as Camembert, Brie or Chevre (a type of goat’s cheese). You should also avoid blue cheeses as they are made with mould and occasionally contain listeria a type of bacteria that could harm your unborn baby.

The following cheeses are ok to eat during pregnancy:

Hard cheeses:

Cheddar, Gruyere and ParmesanOther cheeses:

Feta, ricotta, mascarpone, cream cheese, mozzarella, processed cheese, cheese spread and cottage cheeseMilk

Drink milk that has been pasteurised, sterilised, or ultra heat-treated (UHT). Milk that has not been heat-treated could potentially cause illness.Some types of fish

During your pregnancy make sure you eat enough fish, as it’s really good for both your health and that of your developing baby. Most types of fish can be eaten during pregnancy, but you should avoid eating any shark, swordfish or marlin.Oily fish

Oily fish such as fresh tuna, mackerel, sardines and trout should be limited to two portions a week. You shouldn’t eat more than two fresh tuna steaks a week (weighing about 140g cooked or 170g raw). Tinned tuna is not classed as an oily fish and it’s fine to eat up to four medium size cans of tuna a week (with a drained weight of about 140g per can).

For more information please visit www.food.gov.uk and use the sites search engine for a selection of pregnancy related topics.