A healthy pregnancy diet simply means the right food in the right amount. It implies changing the amount of different foods you eat so that your diet is balanced rather than removing all your favorites.
It is a myth that you should eat for two, however you need to eat enough to provide energy and nutrients for two, or more depending on how many babies you are carrying.
Nutrients are passed to your unborn baby through the umbilical cord. Having a healthy pregnancy diet helps your baby grow and also keeps you well.
A pregnant woman must eat a balanced diet consisting of carbohydrate, protein, vitamins, fats, vegetables and fruits in the right proportion.
This is depicted in the Food Standards Agency’s eatwell plate which shows you what a healthy pregnancy diet looks like.
Foods To Eat For A Healthy Pregnancy Diet
- Carbohydrate– this food group provides vitamins and fiber and do not contain a lot of calories. According to the NHS, these food groups must be the main part of your meal especially your breakfast. Examples are bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, yam, corn, cereals etc.
- Protein– These include meat, fish, beans, eggs, nuts. When eating meat or chicken, make sure they are washed properly, removing the skin. Go for lean meats (avoid liver). Make sure eggs are cooked properly as well. Proteins contain vital nutrients such as Vitamin B, iron and other minerals.
- Vegetarians can also get their protein intake by consuming some milk, beans, tofu, soy protein and eggs. It is best to talk to a dietitian for more advice.
- Fruits and Vegetables– These food groups help with digestion and prevent constipation. It is recommended by the NHS for everyone including pregnant women to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Wash your vegetable well and eat raw or cooked with little water in order to get all the nutrients from them.
- Diary Foods– These include milk, cheese, and yoghurt. These foods contain calcium and other nutrients you and your baby need. Go for low-fat options such as semi-skimmed/skimmed milk, low fat yoghurt.
- Fats– these are an important source of energy for the body. Our bodies do not produce essential fatty acids so pregnant women must get this from the food they eat. They are also needed for the proper development of baby. Foods such as fish, nuts, vegetable oils, flax seeds contain unsaturated fats which is very essential.
- High Fat or Sugary Foods– These include butters, oils, pastries, fizzy drinks, chocolate, ice cream. A lot of pregnant women crave these types of food but they only provide lots of calories with very little nutrients and can lead to weight gain. Eat these types of food in small quantities.
- Prenatal vitamins- Vitamins are essential in a healthy pregnancy diet. Bupa recommends that every pregnant woman should use prenatal vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin D and calcium. Centrum Pregnancy Care Tablet which is the vitamin I used has all the essential vitamins you will need so I recommend that. This can be found in any reputable chemist or pharmacy.
How to deal with Cravings?
So what do you do when you crave. First of all it is imperative that you start your day with a healthy breakfast as this will help you avoid a sugar spike, which leads to craving and then snacking on sugary foods during the day. Sugary foods do not consist of a healthy pregnancy diet.
However if you do crave, snack on healthy nutritious snacks such as:
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- green smoothies
- vegetable soup
- low fat yoghurt
- salads with carrots, cucumber and celery (low fat dressing)
- unsweetened fruit juice
- crackers
- bread and hummus
Foods To Avoid In a Healthy Pregnancy Diet
Pregnant women must not eat the following food items as they could harm your baby or lead to food poisoning.
- Raw or partially cooked eggs– Make sure your eggs are properly cooked and the yolk and white are fully formed. This prevents risk of salmonella food poisoning. Consider using liquid pastuerised liquid egg if you are making a dish that contains partially cooked eggs.
- Raw or partially cooked meat– there should be no trace of blood in the meat you want to eat. Cook all meat thoroughly. When you go to restaurants request that your meat is cooked properly as well.
- Liver– this contains a huge amount of vitamin A, which can be harmful to your baby. Also avoid food supplements containing vitamin A.
- Shark, marlin and swordfish– They contain mercury, which can damage a baby’s nervous system. It is also recommended to eat not more than two portions of oily fish per week. Oily fish include mackerel, fresh tuna, salmon and trout.
- Cheese that is made with mould such as brie, danish blue etc should not be eaten as they can contain listeria, a type of bacteria that can be harmful to your unborn baby.
- Caffeine– Too much caffeine could lead to miscarriages and babies having a low birth weight . Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks, and even soft drinks. Your daily caffeine intake should not be more than 200mg a day.
- Alcohol– The UK Department of Health recommends that pregnant women must not drink any alcohol. This is because the alcohol is passed on to your baby and baby’s liver cannot process alcohol. Also drinking alcohol in the first three months may lead to miscarriage.
I encourage you to maintain a healthy pregnancy diet when expecting a baby- for your sake and most importantly for your unborn baby.
It may be possible that some pregnant women eat all the wrong food, smoke and drink alcohol and their babies turn out “ok” though it is likely these babies have some complications later on.
However as a Super Working Mum, do you really want to take that chance?
Please note I am not a dietician or a medical practitioner so cannot be held liable
for what you eat.
The above article was rewritten from my experience and research.
Please contact your doctor for further information on what to eat.
Here’s some useful source of information I found on a healthy pregnancy diet:
Netdoctor | NHS | Eating for pregnancy | Pregnancy & Childbirth Guide
