Lifestyle
Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy: Hotpot, Spicy Boiled Dishes, Cold Foods & Tonic Herbs
Pregnant women need to pay special attention to their diet, as some foods – though delicious – may affect the fetus. This article summarizes four categories of foods to avoid or consume with caution: Hotpot (undercooked meat may carry parasites; infection can lead to fetal malformation); Spicy boiled dishes (spicy stimulation can cause上火 “heatiness” and constipation, which may lead to intestinal toxemia in severe cases); Cold-natured foods (frozen pears, watermelon, etc., may cause vascular spasms, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and even miscarriage or premature labor); Warm-tonic herbs (ginseng, dried longan, etc., are too warming and may trigger threatened miscarriage). Additionally, although soy milk is healthy, excessive intake can burden the kidneys. Expectant mothers should keep these taboos in mind for the wellbeing of both mother and baby.
What foods should pregnant women avoid? Many expectant mothers continue eating everything without dietary restrictions even after becoming pregnant. However, certain foods can affect the fetus, so it‘s important to be mindful. Pregnant women must pay special attention to their diet and understand which foods are off-limits.
1. Avoid hotpot
It is recommended that pregnant women avoid hotpot, especially meat hotpot. When eating hotpot, people often dip thinly sliced meat into the boiling broth for just a few seconds to keep it tender – but this is not enough to kill parasites that may be present in the meat. Pregnant women consuming undercooked meat may become infected with Toxoplasma gondii, which can lead to fetal malformations.
2. Avoid spicy boiled dishes
Dishes like spicy hotpot skewers (chuanchuanxiang) and duck blood stew (maoxuewang) are delicious but highly spicy. Consuming them can cause上火 “heatiness” and lead to constipation. Chronic constipation can cause abdominal pain and bloating, and may lead to the accumulation of intestinal toxins. In severe cases, it may even trigger intestinal toxemia, posing serious risks to the mother‘s health. Therefore, pregnant women should avoid eating too much of these spicy boiled dishes. If constipation occurs, laxatives should not be taken casually – immediate medical consultation and appropriate treatment are necessary.
3. Avoid cold-natured foods
Frozen pears, frozen persimmons, watermelon, and similar foods should be avoided. Cold foods entering the digestive tract, due to the significant temperature difference, may cause vascular spasms, leading to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and even miscarriage or premature labor. Not only are pregnant women sensitive to cold foods, but the fetus is as well. When the mother eats cold-natured foods, the fetus may become restless, with increased fetal movement.
4. Limit warming tonics
Ginseng and dried longan should never be consumed in excess – they are not suitable for everyone. Pregnant women, in particular, should avoid excessive consumption of warm or hot-natured foods, as they can “add fuel to the fire” (aggravate internal heat). In severe cases, this may cause symptoms of threatened miscarriage such as vaginal bleeding and abdominal pain, or even premature labor. Additionally, many pregnant women like to drink soy milk daily, believing it to be beneficial. However, excessive intake can burden the kidneys and easily lead to obesity, which is counterproductive to health.
The foods that pregnant women should avoid have been detailed above – we must keep them in mind. Foods that should not be eaten must be avoided, as they can affect both mother and child. For foods that are beneficial, we should consume them in moderation to ensure adequate nutrition and prevent diseases caused by nutritional deficiencies.