Foods to avoid during pregnancy

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There are some foods it's best to avoid during pregnancy. Nutritionist Victoria Greaves, explains what they are and why.

Paté
Blue cheese
Deep sea fish: Swordfish, shark, marlin and tuna are best avoided while you're pregnant, as they contain high levels of toxic mercury. This may cause birth deformities, because it passes via the placenta from mum to baby. The UK Food Standards Agency advises that tuna can be eaten once a week.
Raw eggs
Shellfish and sushi
Green sprouting potatoes: Avoid these during pregnancy, as they contain toxins called alpha-solanine and alpha-chaconine, which are harmful to the developing foetus and are linked to spina bifida. You're unlikely to eat whole green potatoes, anyway, but it's not just a matter of cutting away the green bits - the whole potato will be affected, even where it's free from green, and should be discarded.
Peanuts
Uncooked meats and poultry
Alcohol: The question we all ask when pregnant is, 'How much alcohol are we allowed to drink?' The Department of Health claims four glasses a week is safe. But no-one really knows what constitutes a safe level, so it's best to avoid alcohol completely.
Caffeine: Your cup of coffee could stay in your baby's blood-stream for 100 hours. It could take you three times longer (up to six hours) than usual to metabolise caffeine. It passes across the placenta, and it may take your baby up to 100 hours to eliminate.