12 Common Pregnancy Cravings to Avoid

Now that you are pregnant, you may have a variety of food cravings, and this is a common symptom of pregnancy. But some foods are off-limits for pregnant women because they carry health risks. Foods can pose problems because of infections they may carry or because they contain harmful chemicals. Twelve food cravings that can pose a health risk to you and your baby include:

1. Raw or undercooked meats or eggs. This includes soft scrambled eggs.
2. Unpasteurized juices because they may contain E. coli
3. Unpasteurized milk because it may may contain Camphylobacter, E. coli, Salmonella, or Listeria.
4. Unpasteurized soft cheeses (brie, feta, Camembert, Roquefort, queso blanco, queso fresco and Panela) as these may contain E. coli or Listeria
5. Raw sprouts, especially alfalfa sprouts as these may contain E. coli or Salmonella
6. Limit the amount of fish that contain highs levels of mercury, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish
7. Alcoholic beverages
8. Herbal teas, since their exact composition may not be known
9. Refrigerated pates, meat or seafood spreads
10. Cake batter and cookie dough, since these can contain raw eggs and may contain Salmonella
11. Raw or undercooked seafood since these may contain parasites or bacteria
12. Prepackages salads purchased from grocery stores that contain ham, chicken salad, or seafood salad since they may contain Listeria