leslieingram128's Journal

Healthy Food for Pregnant Women – What You Should & Shouldn’t Eat
It makes sense to eat healthy when you are growing a new human being inside your belly. In this article we will discuss the healthy foods that you should be eating, what foods you need to avoid, how much you should eat, and what vitamin supplements to take.

What You Should Eat

Everybody should eat healthy food to ensure they keep their health in tip top condition. This is even more so for pregnant women. So eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. If you don’t have fresh fruits and vegetables, then the next best thing is to eat other forms such as tinned, frozen, dried, or juices/smoothies. Make sure you include some green vegetables though, such as broccoli and spinach.

You also need to make sure you eat a lot of complex carbohydrates such as wholegrain bread and porridge oats. It’s also good to include high quality protein, for example lean meats, lentils and beans.

What You Shouldn’t Eat

As well as being careful what you do eat, you need to be careful what you don’t eat. There are some foods which are bad for pregnant women. For example raw or undercooked eggs or meat are a bad idea. If you are going to eat meat or eggs, make sure you cook them thoroughly.

Also stay away from any cheese which has a mouldy white rind on it, as this can contain listeria, a harmful bacterium. Liver and liver products are best avoided too, as they can contain a high level of retinol (a form of Vitamin A) which in high doses can be dangerous.

There are certain types of seafood you should also stay away from. Raw seafood like oysters and sushi are a bad idea. So are fish which contain mercury, which includes shark, marlin, tuna and swordfish.

How Much to Eat

During pregnancy, the body makes great use of the energy from your food, so there is no need to eat any additional food during the first 6 months of pregnancy. It’s more important that you eat high quality healthy food so that your baby gets all the essential nutrients it needs to grow and develop. However, make sure you eat frequently throughout the day. Aim for three main meals per day, with two or three healthy snacks in between.

During the last 3 months of pregnancy, you will need to eat about 200 calories more. To give you an idea, this is about the same as one slice of toast with either a small can of beans or some cheese on it.

Additional Nutrients

In addition to the healthy food you will be eating, you may also want to ensure that you get the required amounts of certain specific nutrients. You can do this either by taking a specially made pregnancy multivitamin, or you can take certain nutrients individually.

The two main essential nutrients to take in supplement form and folic acid and vitamin D. Take 10mcg (micrograms) of vitamin D and 400mcg of folic acid per day. Additional, later on in your pregnancy you may have an increased need for iron. However, your doctor or midwife can advice you on this, and even do a blood test to see if you are deficient.

Getting Pregnant at Forty, How to Fall Pregnant, Healthy Food for Pregnant Women