As a 'mum to be' you've probably done a tonne of reading about your diet and cut
out foods like pate, brie, sprouts and raw fish to protect your baby's health.
For the same reason, you're giving caffeine and alcohol a big miss too. But what about
fruit juice? Are the bottles you buy off the shelf healthy and safe? And what about
freshly made commercial juices when you're at a caf or health bar? Today, I want to answer
these questions and give you the lowdown on fruit juice during pregnancy. Stay tuned!
Hello, I'm Melanie McGrice and I'm an accredited practising dietitian. I specialise in nutrition
for women, especially to boost fertility and keep you healthy during pregnancy. If this is your
first time on my channel, I hope you take a good look around and check out some of my other videos.
Please also download my free pregnancy meal plan from melaniemcgrice.com/pregnancy.
It's packed with tips for you and your bub, to help you both enjoy maximum nutrition,
during pregnancy and after the birth. So, back to bottled and fresh fruit juice. To keep
you and your baby safe during your pregnancy, make sure you stick to these four rules:
Rule 1: Steer clear of juice bars
Juices made at a juice bar are produced on the spot from real, fresh fruit,
so may seem a healthier choice, but in fact, could be harbouring listeria. This
bacteria which can lead to miscarriage and early labour, can grow in commercial juicing machines,
especially if they're not regularly and thoroughly cleaned. So, if you're pregnant,
you should avoid freshly squeezed juices from fruit juice bars, cafes, health clubs and gyms.
Rule 2: Pass on unpasteurised juice
Pasteurisation is a process that heats liquid to a certain temperature to kill bacteria.
It's often used to keep milk and juice safe to drink. But bottled cold pressed juices,
now sold in health foods stores and supermarkets, have not usually been pasteurised or not heated
to high temperatures. This means they could contain bacteria harmful to you or your baby,
so authorities recommend that pregnant women don't drink unpasteurised fruit juice.
Including cold pressed juices.
Rule 3: Leave bottled juice on the shelf
Though your favourite pasteurised orange juice or apple and blackcurrant juice may not be a bacteria risk,
that doesn't mean it's a nutritious choice. Nutrients like vitamin C and folate,
which helps prevent neural tube defects in your bub, can be substantially reduced when bottled
fruit juice is exposed to heat and light while stored in warehouses, transported in trucks,
or siting on the supermarket shelf. That's why you should follow rule no 4, which is to:
Stick to home-made fruit juice Just make sure to keep your juicer
super clean. After you've whipped up your apple and ginger juice or blood red orange jucie,
pull the juicer apart and rinse all parts, then wash them thoroughly in warm soapy water.
Use a clean brush to remove any fragments of fruit and sterilise the brush in bleach after each use.
Try to also use fruit that's as fresh as possible and rinse the fruit before peeling
and before juicing. Then drink it straight away to enjoy maximum nutrition benefits. Don't store
your fresh juice as it could grow bacteria that might not be healthy for you or for bub.
Meanwhile, whenever you can, eat the whole fruit rather than juicing it, as then you're also
eating the fibre, which makes you feel full for longer and also boosts your good belly bacteria.
I hope you've found today's video helpful. For more personalised nutrition advice, please book a
Nutrition Assessment with one of our dietitians. I'll include the details in the description box
below, and if you enjoyed this video, please take a moment to 'like' it and share it with friends.
Thanks for listening and make sure you check out my next video.