The Most Dangerous Foods When You’re Pregnant

Um...well, at least you didn’t say “mama needs her Jack and Coke.” But seriously, I’m afraid to say diet cola is a poor choice for three reasons.

Yes, three. But lemme start with the good news. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has given the green light to having 200 mg or less of caffeine a day. So go ahead and have one or two small, 8 ounce cups of coffee—that’s the equivalent of two short cups or one grande at Starbucks, or four Diet Cokes. If you want to be extra cautious, try decaf—you’ll still get a tiny dose of caffeine, plus the placebo effect of sipping on some java.

Exactly. You want to avoid the diet soda because some scientists suspect that nonnutritive sweeteners actually promote weight gain because of how we metabolize them. They’re probably fine in moderation, but they’re absolutely not a free pass to gluttony. Worse, artificially sweetened sodas seem to increase the risk of preterm birth, too.

Yup. A safer bet: seltzer with a few fruit slices or a splash of juice.

You’ll find a complete list in Eat This, Not That! When Expecting. Among the biggies: unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses.

It (and its offspring, like unpasteurized yogurt or kefir) may contain bacteria such as Campylobacter, E. coli, Listeria, or Salmonella. For a list of brands that are pasteurized, check the book.

Some women opt to give up deli meats altogether during pregnancy, as they can harbor invisible, odorless bacteria like Listeria, which can cause miscarriage. If you just can’t quit them, that’s okay—just always cook them and eat ’em while they’re piping hot.

Nutrition isn’t part of most doctor’s formal training, believe it or not—that’s why, after becoming an OB/GYN, I got my Master’s in Nutrition at Columbia and am Board-certified in Obesity medicine.

Yes! Eating well during pregnancy needn’t mean giving up your favorite candy! A Yale study found that expectant moms who ate chocolate five or more times a week were 70 percent less likely to develop pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication that involves high blood pressure, compared to those who ate it less than once a week. Dark chocolate, in particular, contains a substance thought to have cardiovascular benefits that help prevent preeclampsia—plus, it’s a great source of iron, which you need more of right now to help carry oxygen to your growing baby.

My philosophy is for my patients to take control over what you can control. Just choose one of the food brands approved in Eat This, Not That! When You’re Expecting! and you’re making the best choice for your baby—and you!