# What foods should I avoid while pregnant? | Clever Mum

> The NHS list, short version: unpasteurised and mould-ripened cheeses (brie, camembert, blue), pâté of any kind, raw or undercooked meat, liver, game

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#  What foods should I avoid while pregnant? 

    
 
Quick answer — What foods should I avoid while pregnant? 

 
The NHS list, short version: unpasteurised and mould-ripened cheeses (brie, camembert, blue), pâté of any kind, raw or undercooked meat, liver, game, swordfish/marlin/shark, raw shellfish, and more than two portions of oily fish a week. Coffee is fine within 200mg caffeine a day. When unsure, check the NHS food list — it changes occasionally.

   
## The reasoning behind the main exclusions

* **Mould-ripened and unpasteurised cheeses** can carry listeria — rare, but serious in pregnancy. Hard cheeses (cheddar, parmesan) and cooked-until-steaming soft cheeses are fine.
* **All pâté, including vegetable pâté**, is a listeria risk; liver pâté adds a vitamin A problem on top.
* **Liver and game** contain retinol (vitamin A) at levels that can harm a developing baby.
* **Swordfish, marlin and shark** concentrate mercury; tuna is limited (4 cans or 2 steaks a week) rather than excluded.
* **Raw shellfish** carries food-poisoning risk that's worth avoiding while immunity is naturally suppressed.

## What's changed in recent years

Runny eggs with the British Lion stamp are now considered safe, and sushi is fine if the fish was previously frozen — two areas where older advice lingers online. Caffeine stays capped at 200mg a day (roughly two mugs of instant). When a food isn't on any list you trust, the NHS foods-to-avoid page is the tiebreaker — it's updated as evidence changes.

   
## 
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