During the delicate 9 months of pregnancy it is of imperative to mind your diet, as you are indeed eating for 2 or more at this point. As with all other diets, it is all about balance. The healthiest diet during the pregnancy would be a balanced intake of fruits, vegetables, protein, and grains and of course plenty of fluids. That is all fine and dandy, however somewhat strange cravings might happen. This is a list of foods that have to be avoided in pregnancy diet. And by all means, the purpose of this list is not to scare you, but to make you more watchful of what you eat in the future.

Two things that would have to be avoided at all times are alcohol and caffeine. While one drink probably will not hurt your baby, however no alcohol level is a good option when pregnant.

There is a possibility of miscarriage or stillbirth and large quantities of alcohol may lead to fetal alcohol syndrome, which can result in mental retardation problems, low body weight and heart problems. Both caffeine and alcohol prevent the absorption of iron and folic acid; these are both 2 essential nutrients during your pregnancy.

You should also be watchful of additives during your pregnancy. And while nowadays additives can be found in most foods and products, it would be a safer option to read the labels more carefully. The additive to avoid would be Monosodium glutamate (found in Asian food), it can cause headache and stomach upset. Artificial food colorings should be avoided as well (blue 1, blue 2, green 3, yellow 6 and red 3) and saccharin has not proven safe during pregnancy.

And while junk food in moderation is ok, in the long run the only things you are getting with junk are empty calories without any nutrients that you need during the pregnancy.

Fats should also be avoided. While healthy diet should include around 20% of fat even during pregnancy, you only need around 5% to stay healthy.

Seafood is good for you during the pregnancy. It is full with proteins, iron and omega 3 fatty acids that are all essential and promote the development of the baby’s brain. However, it is good to avoid shellfish like oyster as they might be ridden with bacteria. Also certain fishes might have higher levels of mercury that in turn might damage the development of the fetus. The fishes to avoid are king mackerel, tilefish, swordfish and shark.

Also during the pregnancy it is essential to cook all meat and poultry thoroughly and to avoid raw meat and eggs as they can carry different illnesses.