When you’re pregnant, eating healthy foods is more important than ever. You need more protein, iron, calcium, and folic acid than you did before pregnancy. You also need more calories. But “eating for two” doesn’t mean eating twice as much. It means that the foods you eat are the main source of nutrients for your baby. Sensible, balanced meals will be best for you and your baby.
Most women need 300 calories a day more during at least the last six months of pregnancy than they did before they were pregnant. But not all calories are equal. Your baby needs healthy foods that are packed with nutrients – not “empty calories” such as those found in soft drinks, candies, and desserts.
Here are some healthy foods that are recommended for pregnant women:
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans
Foods in this group have plenty of protein, as well as B vitamins and iron. Protein is crucial for your baby’s growth, especially during the second and third trimesters.
Milk products
Milk and milk products are the best source of minerals, proteins. Drink milk, yogurt, eat cheese, sour cream … It is desirable to eat the fruit yoghurts. Because nutritionists advise you to avoid preservatives, artificial additives, we recommend you to create them at home. Crush or mix favorite fruit, add yogurt, and if necessary, a little brown sugar. Let it be your daily snack.
Fruits and vegetables
Every day is a necessary intake of fruits rich with vitamin C and servings of dark green leafy vegetables. The nutrition should be dominated by fresh foods.
Vitamin C is found in strawberries, melons, cabbage, peppers, Brussels sprouts … provide, your baby the proper development of the gums and tissues, and your body faster wound healing and better absorption of iron. Also, healthy sources of protein are beans and nuts.
Cereals
Avoid bread from white flour, dial biscuits and pasta made from whole grain cereals. On the menu to be at least twice a week rice because it is the best source of dietary fiber and safest way to prevent constipation, which is very common during pregnancy.
Folic acid and vitamins
Pregnant women need 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. With nutrition is impossible to satisfy all their needs, so it is recommended to combine a varied diet and supplements. Foods rich with folic acid are cereal, bread and rolls from whole grain cereals, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and beans. Because folic acid is sensitive to high temperatures, vegetables should be eaten raw or cooked by steaming or boiling in very little water.
Preparing food safely!
Wash fruit, vegetables and salads to remove all traces of soil, which may contain toxoplasma, a parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis – which can harm your unborn baby. Wash all surfaces and utensils, and your hands, after preparing raw meat – this will help to avoid toxoplasmosis. Make sure that raw foods are stored separately from ready-to-eat foods, otherwise there’s a risk of contamination. This is to avoid other types of food poisoning from meat (such as salmonella, campylobacter and E.coli). Use a separate chopping board for raw meats.
Heat ready meals until they’re piping hot all the way through – this is especially important for meals containing poultry.