A healthy diet during pregnancy is essential to provide all the nutrients necessary for a mother and her growing baby. It’s a common misconception that pregnant women need to eat for two. In fact, most of the nutrients they need during pregnancy can be obtained by selecting the right foods and eating a high quality of nutrients in their diet.
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However, there are some specific recommendations, which include taking folic acid supplements in pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida. It is also important for pregnant women to practice good food hygiene to minimize the risk of food poisoning bacteria and avoid harmful substances in foods and beverages that may be potentially harmful to you or your growing baby.
The need for a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy is well known and most dietary recommendations date back several years. Now known that folic acid intake helps reduce the risk of defects in the baby’s neural tube such as spina bifida.
Recommended weight for pregnancy
The recommended weight gain for pregnant women depends on your current weight if underweight should gain about 27 to 40 pounds. If your weight is normal, during the stage of pregnancy must weigh between 25 and 35 pounds. When you are overweight should be increased from 15 to 25 pounds, are obese, should increase 15 pounds or less.
Although pregnant women do not have to eat for two, a healthy diet, balanced and varied diet, rich in vitamins and minerals is important for both mother and baby. The mother’s diet must provide enough energy, calories and nutrients to meet their current needs and the needs of the developing fetus, and allow the mother to establish the necessary nutrients for the baby’s development in infancy.
A good method is that pregnant women eat when hungry. If weight gain is adequate energy intake is probably adequate. Women who gain excessive weight are more likely to remain overweight or obese after childbirth. But pregnancy is not a time for fad diets or restricting food intake and nutrients, as this can lead to insufficient supply of nutrients to both mother and fetus. If there is concern about excessive weight gain during pregnancy seek help from a doctor.
Foods allowed for pregnant women
Pregnant women and those planning a pregnancy should follow a healthy balanced diet. This can be achieved by following the usual patterns, based on the five major food groups:
The bread and cereals. Foods in this group include breakfast cereals, pasta and rice. These foods should form the main part of the diet. Good sources of vitamins, carbohydrates, protein, low in fat. Whole grain varieties contain more vitamins and minerals and breakfast cereals that contain iron and folic acid they are a good choice during pregnancy.
Meat, fish. Alternatives include eggs, nuts, legumes such as beans, lentils, chickpeas and textured vegetable protein. These should be consumed in moderate amounts and selected fat whenever possible. They are an important source of protein, vitamins and minerals. At least one portion of oily fish such as sardines or salmon, a week will ensure an adequate supply of omega-3 fatty acids.
Milk and dairy products. These should be eaten in moderation and preferably without fat. These foods are especially rich in calcium and a good source of protein. The semi-skimmed milk and contains calcium and protein as whole milk.
Foods containing fat and sugar. These foods can include them in your diet but infrequently.
Increasing the body’s need for certain nutrients such as iron and calcium, can be met without increased intake. Eat Stop Eat This is because the body adapts and becomes more efficient absorption and utilization of these nutrients during pregnancy. However, for some nutrients, higher intake is needed, including proteins, such as vitamin B1, B2 and folic acid. For some of these nutrients such as proteins, most women consume enough. But for others, such as folate, dietary adjustments may be necessary to ensure that adequate amounts are consumed, and that are discussed in more detail below.
The total energy cost of pregnancy has been estimated at around 321 MJ around 77,000 calories. However, in reality, there are large individual variations in energy requirements during pregnancy because women vary greatly in basal metabolic rate, activity levels of body fat and physical. In the UK, the recommendation is that women consume an extra 200 calories per day during the first trimester of pregnancy during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy is about 300 calories per day.
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Important nutrients in pregnancy
Iron is a nutrient that is needed especially during pregnancy, especially in the last two quarters. Inadequate levels of blood iron deficiency anemia cause of this nutrient, which leads people to feel tired, irritable and less able to concentrate. The risk of anemia is higher during pregnancy and anemic women are more likely to have a baby with low birth weight and iron stores at low levels.
Pregnant women should eat plenty of foods rich in iron such as red meat, legumes, green leafy vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals. The consumption of foods containing vitamin C helps improve iron absorption. Examples include a glass of orange juice is a source of vitamin C and can be combined with a bowl of cereal or beans and a baked potato.
Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium from the diet and adequate supply is essential for healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D is mainly obtained by the action of sunlight on the skin, but is also found naturally in eggs, meat and oily fish.
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosa-pentaenoic acid) are types of omega 3 fatty acids found in oily fish such as mackerel, salmon, herring, fresh tuna, trout and sardines. These are an important component of the brain and retina. Fish consumption has been associated with reduced risk of premature birth and low birth weight.
Diet and pregnancy symptoms
Indigestion, heartburn, and intestinal discomfort are common, especially in the last stage of pregnancy when the baby takes up more space. Women tend to learn from experience which foods to avoid and are not likely to result in nutritional problems, unless food is an important source of important nutrients, for example, all meat or dairy products. It is advisable to eat small amounts, avoiding fatty and spicy foods.
Women who are experiencing constipation or hemorrhoids should increase the amount of fiber in the diet, increase your intake of foods rich in starchy carbohydrates, especially whole grain cereals and breads. An adequate intake of fluids is also important, along with mild exercise.
It is normal to have cravings for certain foods and dislike others during pregnancy. The cause of this is uncertain, but may be due to altered taste perception. Products that women are more dairy cravings are less preferred sweets and drinks are caffeine and meat.
Children whose parents have a history of allergic disease are more likely to develop allergies themselves and it has been suggested to avoid certain foods during pregnancy and lactation, mothers may help prevent allergies in their children. But there is little evidence to support this and others have suggested that exposure to these foods may help your baby to develop tolerance to them.
