Good nutrition is especially important during pregnancy, which means eating a well-balanced and varied diet. This will ensure that your developing baby gets all essential vitamins and minerals that he or she needs. Healthy nutrition during pregnancy also means avoiding foods that could put your pregnancy at risk or that might threaten the health of your unborn child. While most foods are safe to eat while pregnant, there are some foods and beverages that you should avoid during pregnancy.

13 foods and beverages to avoid during pregnancy are:

Undercooked Meat
Raw or undercooked seafood, beef, and poultry should be avoided during pregnancy because of the risk of contamination with coliform bacteria such as E. Coli, toxoplasmosis, and Salmonella. This means no sushi, medium rare prime rib, or pink hamburgers.

Deli Meat
Deli meats and cold cuts are sometimes contaminated with a bacterium called Listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Even though such contamination is rare, it is best not to take the chance. However, you can eat deli meats if you make certain that you heat the meat until it is steaming, then consume it before it cools down again.

Certain Types of Fish
While some types of fish are OK to eat in moderation during pregnancy, fish that contains high levels of mercury should be avoided altogether. Mercury is a highly toxic poison that, when consumed during pregnancy, can cause developmental delays and brain damage. The fish with some of the highest levels of mercury include shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and marlin.

Smoked Seafood
Fresh smoked seafood is often labeled as lox, nova style, kippered, or jerky and should be avoided because it may be contaminated with Listeria. However, it is usually alright to eat smoked fish if it has been cooked, such as if it is part of a pasta dish, or if it is canned.

Fish Exposed to Industrial Pollutants
Avoid fish caught in local lakes and rivers that may be contaminated with high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). These fish include: bluefish, striped bass, salmon, pike, trout, and walleye. Contact the local health department or Environmental Protection Agency to determine which fish are safe to eat in your area.

Raw Shellfish
Raw or undercooked shellfish, such as oysters, clams, and mussels may harbor bacteria that can make you sick. While cooking helps prevent this problem, it does not prevent the algae-related infections that are associated with red tides (a seasonal toxic infection of shellfish). Only eat shellfish that has been fully cooked and that has no risk of red tide poisoning.

Raw or Undercooked Eggs
Raw eggs or foods that contain raw eggs should be avoided because of the potential exposure to salmonella. Most commercial products available in stores do not contain raw eggs, but restaurants sometimes use raw or undercooked eggs in Caesar salad dressings, custards, or Hollandaise sauces; make sure to ask before ordering these at a restaurant.

Soft Cheeses
Imported soft cheeses may contain bacteria called Listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Avoid soft cheeses unless they clearly state that they are made from pasteurized milk. All soft non-imported cheeses made with pasteurized milk are safe to eat.

Unpasteurized Milk
Unpasteurized or "raw" milk may contain Listeria, which can cause miscarriage. Make sure that any milk you drink is pasteurized.

Pate
Refrigerated pate or meat spreads should be avoided because they may contain the bacteria Listeria, but canned pate, or shelf-safe meat spreads can be eaten.

Caffeine
Avoid caffeine during the first trimester to reduce the likelihood of a miscarriage. Later on during pregnancy, caffeine should be limited to less than 200 - 300 mg per day, which is equal to about a 16 ounce coffee from a national coffee chain. Caffeine is a diuretic, which can cause you to lose fluids along with needed calcium. The safest thing is to avoid caffeine completely.

Alcohol
Avoid alcohol completely as there is no amount of alcohol that is known to be safe during pregnancy. Repeat: NO AMOUNT of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. Prenatal exposure to alcohol can interfere with development and can lead to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or other developmental disorders. If you consumed alcohol before you knew you were pregnant, stop drinking now. If you are breastfeeding, you should continue to avoid alcohol until you are done breastfeeding.

Unwashed Vegetables
Even vegetables can be contaminated with bacteria or parasites. While you should certainly be eating plenty of vegetables while you are pregnant, make sure they are thoroughly washed to avoid possible exposure to coliform bacteria or toxoplasmosis, which may contaminate the soil where the vegetables were grown.

Related blog post: Tips for Eating Healthy During Pregnancy: what to eat when you are pregnant

For more information on proper nutrition during pregnancy, see the Healia Health Guide on Pregnancy. If you have questions about whether a certain food is OK to eat, ask the people in the Healia Health Community for Pregnancy.

_{Source: American Pregnancy Association, Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy, 11/07. http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/foodstoavoid.html}

_{Photo: Mercury47, Flickr, Creative Commons}