Food guide for pregnant women

By on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 18:57

Chandra is in the first trimester of her pregnancy and as the case is she’s getting advice on everything from what to eat to what not to do from all and sundry. While she has a good doctor on her side to give her the right facts, she says she’s very confused with all kinds of advice, especially on food habits. Maheshwari R, a dietician and an expert of nutrition, gives out some pointers to make life easy for people like Chandra.
 

The biggest myth that surrounds the food habits of a pregnant woman is that she needs to eat for two! You don’t need to eat for two people. Just ensure that you, the mother have a good diet which provides good nutrition for two individuals. The growing baby gets all its nourishment from its mother through the umbilical cord. If the mother is lacking in any vitamins and nutrients her baby might lack them too.

Essential diet

A well-balanced diet should contain all the food groups: dairy products, fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, eggs, fat and carbohydrates. A pregnant woman needs to eat something from all these food groups every day in order to get the proper amounts of energy.  

* Approximately 10 per cent of calories should come from protein. Protein is mainly found in meat, fish, eggs, dairy products and beans.

* Approximately 35 per cent of calories should come from fat, which is mainly found in butter, oils, margarine, dairy products and nuts.

* Approximately 55 per cent of calories should come from carbohydrates, which are found in bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, corn and other grain products.

Folic acid

During the first three months of pregnancy (and preferably before becoming pregnant) a woman needs folic acid. This is one of the B-group vitamins and is also known as vitamin B9. It is important during pregnancy for the creation of the baby's nervous system.
Good natural sources of folic acid are barley beans, fruit, green vegetables, orange juice, lentils, peas and rice. It is recommended that all pregnant women take a daily 400 microgram supplement of folic acid a day for two months before conception and three months into their pregnancy.

Iron

During pregnancy, a woman's body needs more iron than usual to produce all the blood needed to supply nutrition to the placenta. Good sources of iron are green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, strawberries, muesli and wholemeal bread.

Iron is more easily absorbed if it is taken in conjunction with vitamin C - either as a supplement or in citrus fruit or juice. Tea and coffee can interfere with the body's absorption of iron.

It is often recommended that all pregnant women take an iron supplement every day from the 20th week of pregnancy. This is not necessary if a woman has a good diet and routine blood tests show that she is not anaemic. Iron supplements may cause constipation.

Essential nutrients and their sources
 

Food to be avoided during pregnancy

It is important to avoid vitamin A during pregnancy because it may cause damage to the embryo. Foods containing large amounts of vitamin A include liver, and should be eaten on an occasional basis only. No alcohol consumption is considered safe during pregnancy.

  Constipation isn’t good sign even during normal times so during pregnancy it is essential to avoid it all costs. It can be caused by hormonal changes that cause the intestines to move less. Iron supplements can also cause constipation. So go easy on them.

To avoid constipation, eat lots of fibre-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables, whole meal bread and cereal, prunes and prune juice. Drinking 2 to 3 liters of water each day will also help prevent constipation. Try to eat about 20 to 30 grams of fibre a day.

Maheswari R is a post graduate in Human Nutrition and Nutraceuticals.  Currently works as Dietician in the NGO supported programs in Madurai