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The Pregnancy Diet: Nourishing Your Body All Nine Months
When people talk about a pregnancy diet they aren't speaking of a conventional diet. Even if you are overweight, you shouldn't diet during pregnancy. Eating healthy, though, is very important during pregnancy. The foods you put into your body will help it support the new life growing inside of you. Your nutritional choices become the building blocks for your baby's body.
With that in mind, it's important to make wise food choices when you're pregnant. The first myth to bust is that you need to "eat for two" during pregnancy. Even in later pregnancy, your body will only need an extra 300 calories a day. That's proportionate to an apple and a low fat yogurt. Overeating can lead to excess weight gain, which can cause problems with delivery. Eating too much also lead to heartburn.
You may need to make some special adjustments to your diet in the first trimester. Many women experience nausea and queasiness during this time. Eating crackers, healthy proteins and drinking lots of water will help. During later pregnancy, you may have to avoid spicy foods since they cause heartburn and indigestion.
Overall, your diet throughout pregnancy should be very balanced. You should strive to eat from all of the major food groups each day. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats should be in balance. You should also eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Carbohydrates are best from whole grain sources, like brown rice or whole grain bread. White bread and sugar-laden carbohydrate products won't do your body any good. Whole grains provide essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamin B, iron and zinc.
Proteins are especially important during pregnancy since they are the building blocks for the cells. It's important to choose high quality protein since your baby's body is being built from your choices. Eggs, lean meat, fish, lowfat dairy products and beans are all excellent sources of protein. They also provide iron and folic acid.
Fruits and vegetables add color to your diet, and a whole lot of essential vitamins and minerals. As an added bonus, they help fill you up without causing bloating and they can help prevent constipation. Shoot for at least five servings of fruit and four servings of vegetables per day during your pregnancy.
Finally, good fats and oils should be used sparingly in your diet. Too much fat will make you fat, but your body does need some to function properly. Olive oil, flaxseed oil and rice bran oil all provide fat in addition to helpful antioxidants.
Following these guidelines will give your baby a nutritional "leg up" for the rest of their life.
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