Pregnant tips for Eating

    Many women think that when they become pregnant it means they can eat anything they want. This is not true. What you eat during pregnancy can really affect the health of your baby and your own pregnancy, actually making it easier.

•         Your daily energy needs will increase by only 300 calories per day (100 calories = one slice of bread and one small piece of fruit), and this only during the second and third trimesters.
•         Vitamin and mineral needs, on the other hand, are high from conception to delivery. So, you must eat more nutrients for the same (or slightly more) calories.
•         The best way to do this is to eat foods that are as close to their natural, wholesome forms as possible You must think before you eat and think before you don't eat, as any deficiencies caused by not eating will affect your baby as well as yourself.

    As a pregnant woman you will need more protein than at any other time in your life, particularly in the second and third trimesters. However, you will probably have no trouble eating plenty of it, as protein is the least likely nutrient to be lacking in the diet. In fact, most Americans eat twice as much protein as they actually need. As before, starches and carbohydrates should be the mainstay of your diet. In fact, they may even help fend off morning sickness. Fat adds calories without giving you many of the minerals and nutrients that you need. Try to limit it to 25-30% of your daily calorie intake. When trying to plan your meals, it helps to follow these three "rules of thumb":

•         2/3 to ¾ of your plate should be grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes peas or beans. Another way to think of this is that for every serving of protein rich or calcium-rich foods (meat or dairy products), you should be eating at least three servings of fruit, vegetables, grains or legumes.
•         You should try to eat at least one grain and one fruit or vegetable in every snack
•         Before you eat ask yourself, "Is this good for me and my baby?" If your answer is yes, then go ahead and eat it. If your answer is no, then try to eat something else that will satisfy the same taste and hunger needs, but still be healthier.
•         Fat, sugar and salt intake should be reduced, but not completely eliminated. Fat helps in the absorption of fate soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and supplies the essential fatty acid linoleic acid. Salt contains sodium which is needed to regulate muscle and nerve functions and to maintain the body's natural fluid balance. Sugar adds taste and pleasure to foods.