Every woman should always eat healthy and balanced food. However, when you get pregnant, eating right is especially important thing, because all beneficial substances are absorbed not only by your body but also by your growing baby’s. So, what food should you eat?
Pregnant women should eat various, fresh and healthy food. You can choose whatever you like, but don’t eat just because of “necessity”. Pregnant woman needs only 300 calories more than usual and should get about 2500-3000 calories per day. There is no need to eat for two, as is often advised when you are waiting for a baby. Even if you are vegetarian, you shouldn’t change your eating habits during the pregnancy. Instead of meat products that contain proteins and iron, you should choose eggs, sprouted wheat, sunflower or sesame seeds and dark green vegetables.
Eat small portions 5-6 times a day and even though you don’t feel any hunger, you should enjoy light snacks. That’s because a growing baby needs to get a regular quantity of substances to absorb. It is advisable to drink 1.5 – 2 liters of water during a day because of the extra fluid which is created in pregnant women’s body: more blood, more tissue and amniotic fluid. An excellent choice would be non-carbonated mineral water or natural fruit juices.
So, when trying to eat healthily, pregnant women should get 20 percent of her daily calories from protein, 30-35 percent from fat and the remaining 45-50 percent from carbohydrates. Don’t try to avoid fat because they have been researched to be useful for women’s body. Especially beneficial is fat from oily fish containing omega 3 fatty acids, so try eating a daily serving of oily fish. Besides, it would be ideal that you use high-quality organic vegetable oils (1 dessert spoon on your salad) as well.
Remember, the first product which is banned for a pregnant woman is the alcohol because it may affect the child’s emotional and psychological development as well as various diets, so make sure that you and your baby receive all valuable nutrients that are needed!