{"id":581,"date":"2015-12-02T11:25:06","date_gmt":"2015-12-02T11:25:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/?page_id=581"},"modified":"2023-09-18T17:27:41","modified_gmt":"2023-09-18T17:27:41","slug":"pregnancy-diet","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mumblog.co.uk\/faq\/pregnancy-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"Pregnancy Diet: What to Eat & Foods to Avoid When Pregnant"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PregnantIt can be confusing knowing what is safe to eat and what isn\u2019t during your pregnancy, especially when well-meaning older relatives try to give you advice that may have been the norm a few decades ago, but isn\u2019t necessarily considered safe today. For example, well into the 1950s, expectant mothers were encouraged to smoke cigarettes to promote a stress free pregnancy, whilst today the dangers of smoking are not only heavily stressed to pregnant women, but also to the general population.<\/p>\n

However, you don\u2019t need a university degree in nutrition to eat well in pregnancy. Instead there are some simple rules to try and follow wherever possible.<\/p>\n

Eating For Two? It\u2019s Not Necessary<\/h2>\n

Now that you are pregnant you might be tempted to binge on biscuits or scoff down some scrumptious cream cakes. After all, you are eating for two now right? Wrong.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the idea that you need to eat to \u201ceat for two\u201d during your pregnancy is a myth and the general consensus amongst health experts is that during the first six months of your pregnancy you don\u2019t need to consume any extra calories, and in the last three months you only need to consume an extra 200 calories a day. To give you an idea, that is the equivalent of a 500ml bottle of non-diet cola or a small bowl of bran cereal.<\/p>\n

A Healthy Diet In Pregnancy<\/h2>\n

\"SelectionFurthermore, it\u2019s important to eat healthily during your pregnancy, in order to ensure that your growing baby receives all of the nutrients he or she needs, and to help you maintain your own health, making labour and post-birth recovery easier.<\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t a special diet you need to follow when you are pregnant, instead it\u2019s all about getting a good balance of food from the four main food groups:<\/p>\n

Fruit & Vegetables<\/h3>\n

You should aim to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Not only are they packed with vitamins and minerals vital to your baby\u2019s development, but they are also an excellent source of fibre, which will help with any constipation you may be experiencing as part of your pregnancy.<\/p>\n

As well as fresh fruit and vegetables, canned, dried, frozen, and stewed fruit and vegetables also count, though you should be wary of any additional salt and sugar that is added. Beans and pulses, as well as fruit juice, count as no more than one portion a day because they lack the same level of nutrients. Furthermore, more recent research has suggested that fruit juice should not count as a portion at all, thanks to its high (naturally occurring) sugar content and the debate on this is currently on-going.<\/p>\n

If you are struggling to get your five portions a day, then think about ways that you can incorporate them into your daily diet. For example, you could add some fresh or frozen berries to your morning cereal, make crudit\u00e9s from carrots, peppers, and cucumbers for lunch to dip into hummus, or make a pasta sauce with tomatoes, courgettes, squash, carrots, and spinach flavoured with fresh herbs. You could even make savoury muffins with grated vegetables to have as a handy snack.<\/p>\n

Starchy Foods \u2013 Carbohydrates<\/h3>\n

The government\u2019s Eat Well Plate<\/em> suggests that starchy foods, such as pasta, bread, cereals, and potatoes, should make up around a third of our daily diet. During your pregnancy, consider switching to wholemeal versions of these foods, as these contain a lot more fibre that will help you to relieve constipation. Potatoes with the skin left on also contain more fibre, and a jacket potato with baked beans and cheese makes for a tasty lunch.<\/p>\n

When choosing a breakfast cereal, look for wholemeal versions and check out the sugar content. A lot of cereal that is marketed as healthy frequently contains a lot of added sugar. Porridge is a great source of carbohydrate, it\u2019s cheap, and very filling so you are less likely to reach for the biscuits come mid-morning.<\/p>\n

Milk & Dairy<\/h3>\n

Milk and other dairy products frequently get bad press from some health food advocates, however, in your pregnancy it is an important source of calcium, necessary for helping your baby to grow strong bones. Go for a low fat version such as semi-skimmed milk or low fat yogurt. Consider switching to a natural yogurt rather than one that is pre-flavoured and add your own fruit or honey instead, as most yogurts that are flavoured are high in sugar.<\/p>\n

There are certain dairy foods that you should avoid in your pregnancy, and we detail them further on in this article.<\/p>\n

Protein \u2013 Meat, Fish, Beans<\/h3>\n

About one sixth of your daily diet should consist of protein rich foods such as eggs, meat, fish, and beans. Protein contains amino acids that are fundamental for your baby\u2019s cell development. Make sure that any meat you eat is cooked through with no red juices. There are also limits to how much oily fish and what type of fish you should eat during your pregnancy, as detailed later in this article. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, make sure that you eat plenty of beans and pulses, as well as nuts, all of which provide an alternative source of protein. Eggs are another great source, but again, they need to be cooked through with no runny parts.<\/p>\n

Foods That Are High In Sugar \/ Fat<\/h3>\n

Of course, unless you are some sort of super saint when it comes to diet, you will undoubtedly find yourself reaching for the chocolate or crisps at some point during your pregnancy. This is fine, but try to limit the amount of sugary and fatty foods you eat each day. This not only includes the sugars and fats we might be more familiar with, such as that in chocolate or cream cakes, but also hidden sugars and fats, such as those found in many soft drinks, salad dressings and pre-made sauces.<\/p>\n

Opt for low fat or low sugar \/ sugar free versions if you can. This will help you to maintain a healthy weight growth during your pregnancy, which will make your post-labour recovery that much easier, and reduce your chances of developing complications such as gestational diabetes. Stock up on healthy snacks such as fruit and natural yogurt.<\/p>\n

What Foods & Drinks Do I Need To Avoid During Pregnancy?<\/h2>\n

If you are in the very early stages of pregnancy, then you may not feel like eating very much at all thanks to nausea and morning sickness. However, if you do have an appetite then you need to think about the types of foods that you are eating during your pregnancy.<\/p>\n

That is because certain foods may carry an increased risk of food poisoning and other infections, which, particularly in the earlier stages of pregnancy, can increase your risk of miscarriage. Other foods are high in certain chemicals or nutrients that whilst would normally be harmless to humans, can cause problems in pregnancy.<\/p>\n

Are Eggs Safe To Eat In Pregnancy?<\/h2>\n

Salmonella bacteria is often found within eggs, so you should avoid eating eggs that are not cooked or runny. The cooking process destroys the bacteria so providing that the eggs are cooked through fully then eating them should be perfectly safe. Raw eggs can also be found in various dishes including:<\/p>\n