To all the to-be mamas, here I have came up today to tell you about your food habits. You must know that nutrition is the most important thing during pregnancy needed for the growth of your baby. You must know about the foods that are to be eaten during pregnancy. Your gynaecologist/obstetrician might have provided you with the diet chart for pregnancy. But it is very important to know to about some food additives that must be avoided during pregnancy as those can cause harm to the expected mother.
Here is the list of the additives needed to avoid:
- Try to avoid genetically modified foods because these types of foods different side effects, for example, allergies, food infection and improper nutrition. The GMO crops that can be avoided are soy, sugar beets, papaya, squash and zucchini. These foods may cause improper release of hormones which can cause miscarriage and infertility.
- Avoid intake of pesticides as these substances are harmful for the foetus. Pesticide may cause different types of defects in the newborn, such as Neuro problems, difficulty in breathing and might cause Leukemia. For avoiding the intake of pesticide, the best way to eat organic foods is to wash the fruits and vegetables before eating.
- There are some artificial colourings present in some of the foods. So prior to buy any packaged foods, check whether the mentioned colours are present or not. Colours such as Quinoline Yellow, Indigo Carmine, Ponceau 4R, etc. cause allergic reactions. These food colourings are responsible for causing hyperactivity in babies. So, try not to buy such products that contain artificial food colourings.
- There is another harmful thing found in the foods is the saccharin which is the artificial sweetener. It is being used in the soft drinks which are found in the market. These saccharine remain undigested and pass directly to the baby by the placenta. It is then accumulated in the urinary bladder of the baby. American association of pregnancy stated that saccharin causes cancer in babies to the mothers who had consumed foods or drinks containing artificial sweetener. They also recommended that an expectant mom can use natural sugar can be used instead of using artificial sweetener. So, it is better to avoid artificial sweetener at the time of pregnancy.
- A flavoured enhancer known as monosodium glutamate is generally found in most of the food items such as snacks, seasonings, soups, chips and food from restaurant. This additive is harmful for the baby as it causes hyperactivity in the cells of brain during communication. There are also some side effects caused by the intake of MSG such as obesity, behavioural disorders, heart related problems and many others. Intake of MSG by the pregnant woman is harmful for the child after a certain age.
Hence it can be concluded that it is very important for all of the expectant mamas to know about the ingredients of the food they are eating. So, for avoiding the intake of food additives try not to consume packaged or processed food and try to consume fresh, organic and seasonal foods. Taking this step will keep the toxins away from you and your baby which will help to keep your family happy and healthy for the lifetime.
