A Healthy Diet during PregnancyPosted: 7. January, 2012 Comments OffDuring pregnancy, follow a balanced, varied, wholefood diet containing: - unrefined, complex carbohydrates (such as wholemeal bread, brown rice, wholegrain cereals, wholewheat pasta, baked potatoes) which are an important source of energy, vitamins, minerals and fibre. They are slowly digested and do not cause large fluctuations in blood sugar levels, as can occur from eat¬ing simple carbohydrates (such as sugars). Aim to obtain at least half your daily energy intake in the form of unrefined complex carbohydrates. Five to six slices of wholemeal bread per day will help to meet your energy requirements. - fresh fruit and vegetables – which provide minerals, vitamins and fibre. Aim to eat at least 5 servings per day (a glass of unsweetened orange juice with breakfast, large salad with lunch, 2 pieces of fruit during the day plus 2 vegetables with your evening meal equals 6 servings). Buy produce as fresh as possible and use quickly. Wash and, where practical, peel all fruit, salads and vegetables (especially carrots and apples) before eating as the potentially harmful effects of pesticides and fertilizers are not yet fully understood. Eat them raw or lightly cooked – without additional salt. Where possible, steam for a very short time only. If boiling, bring water to the boil before adding the vegetables, as the boiling water helps to destroy enzymes that break down vitamins such as vitamin C. Re-use vegetable water for sauces, gravies and soups. - protein-rich foods (such as lean meat, fish, pulses, eggs, milk, cheese, cereals, nuts and seeds). US recommendations (1989) suggest that protein requirements increase during pregnancy from the normal 50 g to 60 g per day. UK dietary reference values are slightly lower at 45 g per day for non-pregnant women, 51 g per day during pregnancy, 56 g per day during the first 4 months of breastfeeding and 53 g per day for breastfeeding from 4 months onwards. Most women in the Western world already obtain more than 60 g protein per day. Vegetarians can substitute pulses, grains, cereals, nuts and seeds for fish and meat. Avoid liver and liver products, how¬ever, due to the risk of vitamin A toxicity, - calcium-rich foods (such as milk, pasteurized yoghurt, pasteur¬ized cheese, green vegetables, oranges, bread). Calcium is the only mineral whose requirement doubles during pregnancy. It is essential for the development of fetal bones. If calcium is in short supply, it will be leached from your bones and teeth, - foods rich in essential fatty acids – such as oily fish, nuts and seeds. These are vital for your baby’s growing brain and ner¬vous system. - cut back on your intake of table salt (sodium chloride) by avoiding obviously salty foods, checking labels of pre-bought foods (75 per cent of dietary table salt is hidden in processed foods) and avoiding adding it during cooking or at the table - avoid highly processed foods jumping with additives - eat red meat 3 times per week or less, rather than the more usual once or twice per day – eat more fish in its place use olive or rapeseed oil during cooking and do not re-use oils (which contain higher amounts of harmful trans-fatty acids) - when hungry, snack on healthy foods such as fruit, toast, bread, plain biscuits, malt loaf, yoghurt or fromage frais rather than sweet cakes, sweet biscuits, crisps and pastries ‘keep your intake of sweets, chocolates and sugary, fizzy drinks to a minimum - avoid alcohol as much as possible, - avoid foods that are an infection hazard such as: Keep your kitchen clean and dry, with fridge temperatures below 5°C (41°F) and freezer below -18°C (0°F). Wash hands thoroughly before preparing foods. Store raw meat at the bot¬tom of the fridge, covered, and keep it separate from cooked foods. Defrost frozen produce thoroughly before cooking. Cook foods thoroughly, and throw away any that are past their use-by dates. Finally, keep pets out of the kitchen at all times. Related Posts:
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