There are some food items which are good for your health and for the growth of your baby, but some non-vegetarian foods need to be avoided completely during pregnancy. Read on to know more.Do fruits and vegetables bore you? Do you think your meal is incomplete if you do not have at least one serving of non-vegetarian food? Well, many non-vegetarian lovers feel like this and wonder if they can keep enjoying their non-vegetarian meals even when they are pregnant. Pregnancy brings a lot of changes in your eating habit – all for the proper growth and development of the baby growing inside you. Let us find out if eating non-vegetarian food is safe during pregnancy.
Is It Good to Eat Non-Vegetarian Food During Pregnancy?
Non-vegetarian dish is considered to be unhealthy for pregnant women and the growing foetus if eaten daily. Studies show that non-vegetarian foods have a lot of cholesterol and potassium, which can increase your
weight. Even the oil that is emitted from non-vegetarian food is not healthy to consume on a regular basis for a pregnant woman. There are few non-vegetarian foods that you may include in your
pregnancy diet, which is less unhealthy than the ones which you should just avoid.
Chicken, Eggs, Turkeys, and Fish
Chicken is one of the safest non-vegetarian foods which you can eat when you are pregnant, but not daily of course. If you like chicken you must eat it in moderate quantity. Due to its heat inducing nature it may not be safe to eat it excessively. Try to stay away from spicy treats that can lead to diarrhoea or other stomach problem. You can opt for mild
chicken dishes like malai chicken, chicken soup, etc.
Egg whites are safe for pregnant women as they have calcium, but egg yellows are not really healthy as they contain nothing but cholesterol. Again eggs should be properly cooked and also be eaten in moderate quantity as they are also one of the heat inducing foods.
Turkeys are also considered to be safe if you want to enjoy it in minimum quantity during pregnancy. You can also include fish that have no mercury in them in your diet, but again, not regularly. Above all it is extremely important to consult your doctor before including the above mentioned food items as each pregnancy is unique.
Mutton, Beef, and Pork
These are considered to have high amount of cholesterol, even though they contain large amount of proteins. They must be very tasty but do no good for you and your baby. So you need to keep their intake amount to a minimum for good health of your growing baby.
Non-Vegetarian Foods to Avoid
You should avoid all kind of deli meats as they are prone to have listeria, so it is a no-no during pregnancy. Raw
eggs tend to carry salmonella bacteria, which is why you should avoid salad dressing with raw eggs, homemade ice creams, and raw cookie dough as well.
The worst food to eat during pregnancy is raw meat as it has the maximum chance of carrying bacteria like coliform, salmonella, etc. Even the meat spreads should be avoided. You should avoid
fish that contain high levels of mercury, such as tuna, sea bass, mackerel etc. You cannot even consider smoked fish of such types. Pregnancy is also a time to say no to raw shellfish, which are prone to algae-related infections.
Harmful Effects of Eating Non-Vegetarian Food During Pregnancy
There are people around you who may say that non-vegetarian food is healthy for you as they are proteinaceous, but in fact, animal-based protein comes with so many harmful effects. They are full of calories, so you may end up gaining extra weight than what is recommended for your pregnancy. They also contain too much of cholesterol, which again can be a serious risk against cardiovascular diseases in pregnant women. Even they can cause diarrhoea, bloating, and many other digestive disorders. So you need to be careful while including non-vegetarian food when you expecting a baby.
If you are craving for non-vegetarian food often, then you need to consult your doctor so that he or she can help you frame your diet considering your crave which will be beneficial for you and your growing baby. Also, watch your quantity and never overeat. It is always better to be safe than be sorry.
Is it healthy to eat non-vegetarian food during pregnancy? Is it harmful to eat non-vegetarian foodduring pregnancy? What are the benefits of eating non-vegetarian foodduring pregnancy? Discuss here. 
