Beverages you should avoid during pregnancy

Not all non-alcoholic drinks are good for the baby (Photo: iStock)

When you're pregnant, the priority is eating healthily. And not only that, you need to eat well because your baby needs to get enough nutrients too.

Besides eating healthy, you also need to know what you should be avoiding. Some foods might be generally healthy but, they can be quite harmful to you and the baby.

For food, you probably know about avoiding options like high-mercury fish and undercooked eggs. Today, we will break down some of the drinks that you should completely cut from your list to avoid any complications:

• Alcohol

This is the most obvious drink mothers-to-be know they should be avoiding while pregnant but still, some don't. We hear that a little wine is good for the heart but not when you're pregnant.

There should be no wine, beer, gin or any other type of alcoholic drink including alcoholic cocktails. Alcohol even in small amounts can contribute to low birth weight and brain defects that can result in conditions like Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs).

Let no one convince you that you can take a couple of sips. Stick to non-alcoholic drinks and if you suspect you have an addiction, seek help before getting pregnant.

• High-caffeine drinks

A cup of coffee in the morning sounds like a great way to start your day. This might be safe for other people but you should absolutely avoid drinks that are highly caffeinated.

High amounts of caffeine can contribute to low birth weight, fetal development delays and even miscarriages. It can also worsen your pregnancy symptoms.

To be on the safe side, you should consume low-caffeine drinks in moderation-the recommended amount is about 200mg a day or, avoid it completely.

• Energy drinks

Energy drinks already don't have a good rap to begin with. They are known to cause a number of health complications when consumed too often.

When you're pregnant, you should avoid energy drinks. They usually contain high amounts of caffeine which could affect your health and interfere with your baby's development as well. They are also packed with way more sugar than you need.

• Raw milk

Some studies have shown the benefits of drinking raw milk. It has quite a number of vitamins and minerals, all of which would theoretically be beneficial during pregnancy.

However, you should never consume milk which hasn't been pasteurized. This type of milk contains harmful bacteria that could give you food poisoning and risk your baby's life.

You should only drink milk that has been pasteurized because that pasteurization process gets rid of all those dangerous bacteria.

• Unpasteurized juices

Often, we come across fresh juice stands when we are out and about. And if you like to avoid sodas and other unhealthy drinks, you might opt for this beverage.

Just like raw milk, unpasteurized juices can contain harmful bacteria that can lead to complications. If you want to enjoy some juice, go for pasteurized options that are clear of these pathogens.

The good thing is that there aren't any extra benefits in unpasteurized juice that you need to worry about. Pasteurized juice is still nutritious and it comes without the risks.