Pregnancy is not an excuse to eat for two people, and it is definitely not a good time to start dieting. During pregnancy key nutrients in your diet will protect your baby from being born with birth defects and keep you healthy while you are waiting for your new arrival.
Key Nutrient to Prevent Birth Defects
You need a daily intake of 1000 mcg of folate or folic acid as a supplement. Folate's role during your pregnancy is to prevent neural tube defects. Folate is naturally found in a few foods: ½ cup cooked spinach; ½ cup cooked beans and one small orange. A ¾-cup serving of 100 percent-fortified cereal, two slices of enriched whole bread and ½ cup of brown rice are also good sources of folate.
Nutrient to Prevent Low Birth Weight
During pregnancy your baby uses iron from you to make his entire blood supply. This is why your body's need for iron increases twofold. According to the Mayo Clinic, if your iron levels are insufficient, your ability to fight off infections lessens and your susceptibility to preterm labor is higher. You need 27 mg--three servings--of iron per day. Eat your favorite foods, such as sweet potatoes, raisins and broccoli, to ensure you are getting enough iron.
Nutrient to Promote Growth
You are her only source for calcium and if you do not consume enough, your body will take the calcium from your bones to meet her needs. This can lead to osteoporosis if your bones weaken from the depleted calcium stores. The calcium requirement for pregnant and non-pregnant women age 19 to 50 is 1,000 to 1,200 mg per day. You can meet the daily requirement of three servings by consuming 1 cup of nonfat yogurt, 1 cup of reduced-fat milk and 1½ oz. of cheddar cheese. However, vegetarian pregnant women will need four servings.
Your body needs 71 g a day, three servings, of protein for the growing baby inside of you. Vitamin B12 is only found in animal sources of protein. Vegetarian pregnant women not consuming dairy products, eggs and fish should take a vitamin B12 supplement.
Extra Calories
You only need an additional 100 calories your first trimester of pregnancy. This is equivalent to one fruit serving snack. Increase your calories by 300 your second and third trimester. The extra 300 calories of food in your second and third trimesters should come from the grains, fruits, vegetables and protein food groups. Add an additional serving to each food group. For example, you only need 8 to 9 oz. of grains daily during your first trimester, but by your third trimester you will need 10 oz. of grains.
Foods to Limit
Eat fish no more than twice a week to reduce risk for methyl mercury. Do not consume shark, swordfish, sea bass, tilefish and tuna steaks while pregnant. Try flaxseed and walnuts as alternatives for omega-3 fatty acids. To reduce illness caused by consuming the bacteria listeria do not consume unpasteurized milk and juice, or soft cheeses such as feta goat.
