I’m a doctor – seven foods you CAN eat when you’re pregnant but thought you couldn’t... - The US Sun

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SOFT cheese, raw eggs and sushi... they're three things that you might think you have to avoid eating while you're pregnant.

But in fact, they're perfectly safe for consumption if you stick to a few simple rules, according to the NHS.

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Can you eat eggs while pregnant? You can, but there are some rules to stick toCredit: Shutterstock

Cheese

What you can eat during pregnancy -

Official NHS guidelines state that pasteurised or unpasteurised hard cheeses, such as cheddar, gruyere and parmesan, are fine to eat, as well as pasteurised semi-hard cheeses like edam and stilton.

You can also eat pasteurised soft cheeses, such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, feta, cream cheese, paneer, ricotta, halloumi, as well as goats cheese without a rind and processed cheese spreads.

Blue cheese and soft cheese - whether pasteurised or unpasteurised - is also fine to have as long as it's been cooked until steaming hot.

What to avoid eating during pregnancy -

You must avoid blue cheese or soft cheese - such as Danish blue, gorgonzola and roquefort  if it hasn't been cooked until steaming hot.

Also steer clear of cheese made from unpasteurised milk, like soft ripened goats' cheese, and pasteurised or unpasteurised mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside, such as brie, camembert and chevre (again - unless cooked until steaming hot).

Eating unpasteurised or soft ripened dairy products increase your chances of contracting an infection called listeriosis - from the listeria bacteria in the products.

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This infection can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, or can make a newborn very unwell.

But cooking cheese until it's steaming hot helps kill the bacteria, reducing the risk of getting listeriosis.

Meat

What you can eat during pregnancy -

Chicken, pork and beef is fine to eat if you're expecting, but make sure they're cooked well with NO traces of pink meat or blood.

You are also fine to eat pre-packed, cold meats such as ham or corned beef.

The NHS advise being cautious about having cold cured meats, such as salami, pepperoni, chorizo, prosciutto and parma ham during pregnancy, although don't say it shouldn't be eaten.

What to avoid eating during pregnancy -

According to the NHS though, you must avoid all raw or undercooked meat, liver and liver products, and any type of pate - including vegetarian pate.

You also shouldn't eat game meats - like partridge, pheasant or goose.

Raw and undercooked meat can increase your risk of getting toxoplasmosis - which can lead to miscarriage.

The same parasites may also be found in cured meats.

Liver and products from liver contain a lot of vitamin A - which can be harmful to an unborn baby - while game meats may contain lead shot.

Eggs

What you can eat during pregnancy -

Despite people often thinking otherwise, you can actually eat raw or partially cooked eggs - as long as they are British Lion hen eggs, the ones with the lion stamp on them, or produced as part of the Laid in Britain scheme.

Likewise, foods made with raw egg - such as mayonnaise - is also fine to eat while pregnant if made with British Lion or Laid in Britain eggs.

You may eat eggs that aren't British Lion or Laid in Britain, but must ensure the entire egg - white and yolk - is fully cooked.

And you can also eat any other kind of eggs - such as duck, goose or quail, if they are entirely well cooked.

What to avoid eating during pregnancy -

You must avoid eating any raw or partially cooked eggs that aren't British Lion or Laid in Britain eggs.

And duck, goose or quail eggs should also not be eaten if they are not fully cooked.

This is because the British Lion and Laid in Britain eggs are less likely to have salmonella in them - the bacteria that can lead to food poisoning.

Fish

What you can eat during pregnancy -

You might think that you have to avoid all fish sushi when pregnant but that's not the case.

In fact, sushi that contains cooked fish or vegetables is fine to eat.

You can also eat all cooked fish and seafood, as well as cooked shellfish - mussels, lobster, crab, prawns, scallops and clams.

Cold prawns that have been pre-cooked are also fine.

What to avoid eating during pregnancy -

It's important to be careful when eating smoked fish like salmon or trout, due to the listeria outbreak linked to smoked fish.

Due to this, smoked fish products should only be consumed while pregnant if they are thoroughly cooked and steaming hot the whole way through.

You should also be careful with how many portions of fish per week you have.

The NHS advises no more than two portions of oily fish - like salmon, trout, mackerel or herring - per week.

You should also eat no more than two tuna steaks or four medium cans of tuna per week.

This is because tuna contains more mercury than other fish, and too much mercury can be harmful to an unborn baby.

Meanwhile, oily fish can contain dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls in it, which can also be dangerous for an unborn baby.

And raw shellfish can often contain bacteria, toxins or viruses that can end up giving you food poisoning.

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You should also be careful when eating fish - how much and what kind of fish you have each weekCredit: Getty

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