harmful bacteria including toxoplasma
(parasite), so it’s important to thoroughly
rinse all fruits and vegetables, including
the skin of citrus, melon and other fruits
which, although it may not be consumed,
can carry bacteria that can transfer
during cutting and food preparation.
• Unpasteurised food and dairy – pregnant
women
should
not
consume
unpasteurised milk, cheese, soft serve ice
cream or fruit juice, as these foods
increase the risk of bacterial infections:
they should avoid soft, semi-soft and
surface ripened cheeses (e.g. brie,
camembert, ricotta, feta and blue cheese)
unless they are cooked above 65 ̊ C and
served hot, such as ricotta and spinach
cannelloni, and cheese-topped pizza.
• Raw eggs – including lightly scrambled
eggs, poached eggs, hollandaise sauce,
homemade mayonnaise and salad
dressings: uncooked eggs may carry a
risk of contamination with salmonella,
which can lead to sickness and an
increased risk of premature birth or
stillbirth.
• High mercury fish and shellfish – pregnant
women are advised to limit their
consumption of high mercury fish to no
more than 1–2 servings per month, i.e.
tuna (especially albacore tuna), shark (i.e.
flake, commonly used in Aussie
fish’n’chips),
swordfish
and
king
mackerel. Shellfish, undercooked or raw
fish, i.e. sashimi, can be contaminated
with bacteria and parasites so should be
avoided altogether.
24 | NETWORK SPRING 2019
• Caffeine – pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to
200 mg per day, which is about 2–3 cups of coffee. High caffeine
intake during pregnancy can limit foetal growth and cause low
birth weight.
• Foods high in saturated fat, sugar and salt – intake should be
limited.
In addition to observing these dietary recommendations, pregnant
clients should also ensure that, if they aren’t already, they become
fastidious in their practice of food hygiene, in order to avoid listeria
and salmonella.
Empower your client
Pregnancy can be both an exciting and a dauting time for women.
Empower your client during this stage of her life by assisting her with
the above nutritional information and working with suitably qualified
allied health and fitness professionals if required.
Promote the benefits of meal preparation – even if it is as simple
as pre-cutting some vegetables or fruit or hard-boiling some eggs –
in helping to eat more healthily and avoid impulse snacking on less
nutritious fare. Remind her that the right fats are fun, that her energy
requirements will increase, and that she needs to stay hydrated.
Above all, remember that pregnancy is not the time for her to be
dieting (unless advised to or in consultation with her obstetrician) –
but that it is never too late to start eating well.
Brooke Turner
Brooke is a nutritionist, exercise scientist, personal
trainer, writer, presenter and mother of two with over
ten years’ experience in the health and fitness industry.
Brooke’s programs include her six-week STRIVE program
and Happy, Healthy Pregnancy eGuides. Brooke is a
believer in striving for a balanced approach to health and fitness and aims
to inspire and empower others to see that healthy active living need not be a
hindrance but a habit.