The foods you need in pregnancy
What you eat when you're pregnant is even more important than you might think. Research shows that it not only affects your baby at birth, but also appears to have a long-term effect throughout your child's life.
© DK
It's important to drink plenty of fluids, too. When you're pregnant you have nearly 50 per cent more blood in your body than usual, so you need to keep up your fluid intake. Water is best. Don't cut down on your fluid intake if your hands and feet swell - it won't make any difference to this type of fluid retention.
Protein during pregnancy
Protein is probably the most essential food for your baby; the amino acids that make up protein are literally the building blocks of the body. The cells and tissues that make up all the muscles, bones, connective tissues, and many of the organ walls are formed from protein.
You need at least three servings of protein foods daily. The type and quality of protein in food varies (see Choosing proteins). Meat, fish, and poultry are the best sources, but they can be expensive. Plant foods eaten in certain combinations can be another way of getting enough protein. Wholewheat bread or noodles with beans or cheese; or cornmeal or noodles with sesame seeds, nuts, and milk will keep protein intake high.
Carbohydrates and calories during pregnancy
Carbohydrate foods should make up the bulk of your calorie intake, but eat the best, complex, carbohydrates and avoid empty calories.
Simple carbohydrates are sugars in various forms. The most common types and sources are glucose (honey), fructose (fruit), and maltose, lactose, and galactose (milk). These carbohydrates are absorbed quickly from the stomach so are a source of “instant energy”, which can be useful when you're in dire need.
Complex carbohydrates are the starches contained in grains, potatoes, and pulses. The body has to break them down into simple carbohydrates before it can use them, so they provide a steady supply of energy over a period of time. Complex unrefined carbohydrates (wholemeal flour and brown rice) are also good sources of vitamins, minerals, and fibre.
Vitamins during pregnancy
Vegetables and fruits are good sources of many vitamins (and minerals). Some are rich in vitamin C; others contain vitamins A, E, and the B group (which includes folic acid), and minerals - all of which you need in your diet. Vitamins are quickly destroyed by exposure to light, air, and heat, and many can't be stored by the body, so you need to top up your supplies every day. Leafy green vegetables, yellow or red vegetables, and fruit supply vitamins A, E, B, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Choose broccoli, spinach, watercress, carrots, tomatoes, bananas, apricots, and cherries.
Although we can get some B vitamins from vegetables and fruit, the bulk of our vitamin B intake comes from meat, fish, dairy products, grains, and nuts. Some of the B vitamins are only in animal foods, so vegetarians must make sure that they're getting enough in their diet. If you don't eat dairy products you'll need to take vitamin B supplements - ask your doctor for a prescription. Vitamins can be toxic in large quantities - never take supplements without your doctor's advice when you're pregnant.
We can get some vitamin D from food, but more important is the action of light on the skin that triggers the body to make vitamin D. Most light-skinned people need about 40 minutes of light (it is not necessary for it to be bright sunlight) a day to make enough vitamin D for their needs. Dark-skinned people living outside the tropics need progressively more sunlight depending on their skin tones.
Minerals during pregnancy
A varied, healthy diet should provide you with enough minerals and trace elements - essential chemicals that help the body function properly, but are not made by it. High levels of iron and calcium, in particular, are important for your baby's healthy development.
Iron
The body needs iron to make haemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying part of the red blood cells). When you're pregnant you need to keep up supplies of extra iron to support the large increase in the amount of blood in your body during pregnancy, because your baby's need for iron is constant. Iron can block the body's absorption of zinc, which is essential for the development of your baby's brain and nervous system so you need to eat zinc-rich food, such as fish and wheatgerm, separately from iron-rich food. The amount of iron needed varies from woman to woman. Your doctor will keep a check on your iron levels. If you're lacking in iron when you become pregnant, or develop iron deficiency later, your doctor may prescribe iron tablets or injections to prevent you developing anaemia.
Calcium
A baby's bones begin to form between four and six weeks, so you'll need plenty of calcium both before you conceive and while you're pregnant. Dairy products, leafy green vegetables, soya, broccoli, and any fish containing bones (such as sardines) are rich in calcium. If you don't eat dairy products, you may need supplements. Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption, so try to eat eggs or cheese every day.
Choosing proteins
The needs of your growing baby mean that you'll have to make sure that about ten per cent of your calories come from protein foods such as meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, and beans.
Proteins are made up of amino acids, which are vital to body cells and tissues. We need a total of 20 different amino acids. Your body can make 12 of these, the non-essential amino acids, itself. The other eight, the essential acids, must be supplied by food. These are contained in first-class proteins, found only in animal products such as meat, dairy foods, fish, poultry, and eggs. Buy organic produce if you can, especially poultry, eggs, and beef. If you are vegetarian make sure you eat complementary proteins, see Vegetarian mothers and Eating Well.
When you're choosing protein foods, think about what else they contain. Meat is the richest source of first-class proteins and contain vital B vitamins. But some meat, particularly red meat, can be very high in animal fat. It's best not to eat liver, or any other offal when you're pregnant as it's high in vitamin A, which may be toxic to your baby.
Fish is a good choice of first-class protein for pregnant women. It's high in vitamins and nutritious fish oils, and is low in saturated fat. Don't eat tuna more than once a week, and avoid shark, marlin, and swordfish as they may contain traces of mercury.
Folic acid during pregnancy
One of the B vitamins, folic acid is essential for making red blood cells and plays an important part in the growth of your baby, especially in the first 12 weeks.
Folic acid is vital to the development of the nervous system and research shows that folic acid supplements taken up to three months before conception and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy significantly reduce the incidence of neural tube defects such as spina bifida. If you haven't started taking folic acid before conception, start as soon as you know you're pregnant. Folic acid is available in tablet form, and it's also in green leafy vegetables, cereals, and bread.
Posted 16.11.2010
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