Food, Diet and Nutrition during PregnancyPregnancy nutrition plays an important part during pregnancy. Eating healthy when you’re expecting is more than just “eating for two.” You also have to consider what kind of food you eat. Pregnancy will require about 300 calories more a day especially at the last trimester. These calories should originate from healthy foods to facilitate fetal development. 
Many of you may wonder how the 25 to 35 additional pounds are gained during pregnancy when your little one weighs less than that. Weight gain during pregnancy may vary from one woman to another, but the total amount of weight one normally gains when she’s pregnant does not only comprises of the baby’s weight but also of other products of pregnancy like the amniotic fluid, placenta, enlarged uterus and breasts, extra fat, protein, nutrients and blood. It is vital to know what makes up the additional pounds than knowing how much you gained all throughout pregnancy. What you consume is the main source of nourishment for your unborn baby. The connection between what you eat and drink and the health of the baby is actually stronger than what doctors and scientists expect before. This is the reason why health care providers now say that no amount of alcohol can ever be safe for an expecting woman. Pregnancy foods should be rich in essential nutrients that you and your baby need. With calcium for example, this nutrient helps in making our bones strong and healthy. You need calcium for yourself during pregnancy, but still, you need extra for your baby’s development. And just like calcium, you’re going to need other important nutrients as well. A healthy well-balanced pregnancy diet includes carbohydrates, fats, protein, vitamins and minerals. You’re also going to require more water intake to prevent dehydration and to cleanse your body of wastes. Eating a variety of foods will help ensure that you meet your daily pregnancy nutritional requirement. A guideline on what kind of foods are safe during pregnancy and how many servings per food type a pregnant body will require daily is given out by the US government. Checking out the food label when you’re doing groceries is important because it tells you the kind and amount of nutrients you can get from the product. You will see the abbreviation RDA which stands for Recommended Daily Allowance. RDA is the amount of a specific nutrient that is recommended in your everyday diet. When you’re pregnant, RDAs of almost all nutrients are higher. Vital Nutrients during Pregnancy
I am a Vegetarian When you’re pregnant, doctors do not recommend a strict vegetarian diet. This is because it will be difficult to get the nutrition that pregnancy requires if you don’t eat meat, dairy products, egg and fish. If you have started on a vegetarian diet before getting pregnant, you may continue with it as long as you do it carefully. You need to inform your doctor that you’re on a vegan diet during pregnancy. He may recommend the intake of supplemental protein and vitamin supplements. You should also consult a dietician so he can assist you with planning your meals daily. Foods to Avoid during Pregnancy As we have said earlier, even small amount of alcohol is not safe during pregnancy. It is better to quit alcohol completely to avoid pregnancy complications and birth defects. Also, caffeine and pregnancy do not mix. Although doctors say that a 1 or 2 cups of coffee a day won’t hurt your baby, it is still best to avoid caffeine altogether. High caffeine intake can increase your chances of experiencing a miscarriage. A decaffeinated coffee is way better than regular coffee. Other caffeine laden foods are colas and chocolates. Pregnant women should also avoid unpasteurized milk, cheeses and juices, raw meat, processed food products such as hotdogs, raw eggs and fishes that have high mercury content such as king mackerel, swordfish, shark and tilefish. These can cause food-borne illnesses such as toxoplasmosis and listeriosis and complications such as birth defects and miscarriage.
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