Another common myth is that pregnant women can catch the flu if they eat cold or sour foods. Say what?! That’s right, mothers-to-be are often told by well-meaning friends or relatives to avoid citrus fruits, juices, limes, lemons, curd, buttermilk, etc. Why? The story goes that these foods will cause pregnant women to develop colds and coughs that can even affect the baby!

Nothing could be further from the truth! Rest assured that you do not have to avoid these foods! In fact, they are loaded with nutritional benefits for you and your baby. The entire range of citrus fruits provides much needed vitamin C, and curd and buttermilk contain probiotics that are important in digestive health. Rather than staying away from these delicious foods, dig in!

This slew of conflicting advice when you are pregnant can get very confusing. Moms want to do what is best for their babies, and the idea that something they eat might harm their unborn child is worrisome. As long as you follow Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide to eat the amount and type of foods that is right for you and your baby, everything will be just fine. If you are concerned, ask your health care professional about foods you should avoid while you are pregnant or breastfeeding. You can also consult the Government of Canada websites. Food Safety for Pregnant Women (2016) at https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-safety-vulnerable-populations/food-safety-pregnant-women.html and Healthy Eating and Pregnancy (2014) at https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/pregnancy/healthy-eating-pregnancy.html. And take any tales you hear about food with a nice big pinch of salt.