Now that you are pregnant, you want to do everything you can to provide a healthy environment in which your baby can grow and thrive. Your baby is counting on you to provide it with the right vitamins and nutrients it needs. Most women need an extra 300 calories a day to meet this goal, according to the March of Dimes, and that means ditching junk food for healthy food.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables not only serve to provide your baby with healthy nutrients and antioxidants but they also help prevent constipation, which is common in pregnancy. Broccoli, tomatoes, sweet red peppers, grapefruit and unsweetened orange juice can provide the daily recommended allowance of vitamin C during pregnancy. Eating fortified cereal and leafy green vegetables will provide necessary B vitamins.
Whole Grains
Eating whole grain breads and consuming multi-grain cereal is a great way to increase whole grains in the diet. Whole grains also help to prevent the constipation of pregnancy. Foods that include whole-wheat flour, bulgur or cracked wheat, oatmeal, whole cornmeal or brown rice can substantially add to your intake of whole grains. Besides providing fiber to the diet, many whole-grain breads are fortified with folate, a vitamin known to prevent birth defects, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA.
Dairy
Low-fat dairy choices are excellent sources of calcium, a very necessary vitamin during pregnancy, according to the March of Dimes. Calcium helps the nervous, muscular and circulatory systems stay healthy and develop in your baby. When a pregnant woman does not get enough calcium for both her and her baby, the body takes calcium from her bones to give to the baby, which can cause serious health problems such as osteoporosis. Skim milk, low-fat cheese and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium.
Protein
Protein breaks down into amino acids, which are the building blocks of every cell in your and your baby's body. Adequate protein is necessary to ensure that your baby's body grows the way it is supposed to. According to BabyCenter, the average pregnant woman needs approximately 70g of protein daily. Lean meat and poultry, beans and peanut butter are examples of good proteins during pregnancy.
