The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to make sure both you and your baby get the nutrition you need. Strawberries provide calcium, magnesium, vitamin C and other vital nutrition. Unfortunately, if you don't take care in how you prepare and eat strawberries, your weakened pregnancy immune system could be challenged by food-borne illnesses such as E. coli. A little proper care can help you prevent illnesses and reap the healthy rewards of strawberries and other fruits.
Step 1
Talk to your doctor about your family's history of food allergies. Strawberry allergies are commonly genetic. Even if you're not allergic, if your family has a history of serious strawberry allergies your doctor might advise you to avoid the fruit during pregnancy, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Step 2
Wash your strawberries thoroughly before eating them. Washing helps remove pesticide and fertilizer residue. Washing also helps reduce the risk of ingesting soil-bred bacteria and parasites, such as E. coli.
Step 3
Make strawberries part of at least 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups of total fruits and vegetables daily, according to MayoClinic.com. Don't rely on strawberries to meet all your daily fruit and vegetable requirements to make sure you get a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.
Step 4
Choose whole, fresh strawberries instead of processed forms, such as jam or strawberry-flavored treats. Fresh strawberries retain more nutrition and fiber and typically contain less sugar and fewer calories than processed strawberries. Choose frozen strawberries if fresh aren't available.
Step 5
Check the label of fresh strawberry juices to make sure the juice has been pasteurized. Unpasteurized fruit juices increase your risk of E. coli and other food-borne illnesses, according to FoodSafety.gov.
References
- American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists: Nutrition During Pregnancy
- Colorado State University Extension; Food Safety During Pregnancy; J. Dean, et al; December 2006
- FoodSafety.gov; Checklist of Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Food Allergy
- University of Illinois Extension: Strawberries and More
- BabyCenter; Fruits and Vegetables in Your Pregnancy Diet; December 2009
- MayoClinic.com: Pregnancy Nutrition: Healthy-Eating Basics
