Pregnancy changes everything, especially when it comes to the foods and beverages that you're accustomed to consuming. A healthy, well-balanced diet is critical to ensure that your unborn baby receives the necessary nutrition to properly develop. While it's natural to have strong food cravings when you're expecting -- including junk food and quirky combinations -- be wary of those that ultimately aren't beneficial to the health of either of you.
Dairy
Milk, cooked eggs, hard cheeses, yogurt and cottage cheese are inexpensive foods that are rich in protein and calcium. Unless they are made from pasteurized milk, soft cheeses such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Camembert, Brie, Feta and Mexican cheese blends might contain bacteria called listeria which can cause a miscarriage. Avoid homemade salad dressings or sauces that include raw eggs in their recipes.
Fruits and Vegetables
Include two to four servings daily of leafy greens, as well as five servings per week of an orange or yellow vegetable. Lentils, cooked soybeans, spinach, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatoes and avocados are all good sources of folic acid and vitamins A, C and B6. Indulge in thrice-daily servings of oranges, mangoes, kiwis, apricots, grapefruit, strawberries, bananas or papaya. Fruits and vegetables should, of course, always be thoroughly washed before eating to remove any contaminants from the soil in which they were grown.
Grains
Oatmeal, brown rice, pastas, fortified unsweetened cereals, and whole grain and multigrain breads all contain essential nutrients and high fiber for your baby's healthy development. You can also blend oats into muffins, cookies and even pancakes. Strive for nine servings a day of whole grains. These will help fight the nausea commonly associated with morning sickness.
Meats
Incorporate chicken, turkey, lamb, pork and lean cuts of beef into your pregnancy diet for protein and iron. Seafood choices such as salmon, halibut and cod are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and can be eaten twice a week. Raw or undercooked meat, smoked seafood, raw shellfish, sushi, deli meats, refrigerated meat spreads and any fish containing high levels of mercury such as shark, king mackerel and swordfish should be avoided. Nor should you eat fish that has been caught by friends and family in local streams or lakes because of potential exposure to pollution from industrial plants.
References
- "The 100 Healthiest Foods to Eat During Pregnancy: The Surprising Unbiased Truth about Foods You Should be Eating During Pregnancy but Probably Aren't"; Jonny Bowden et al.; 2009
- "Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy"; American Dietetic Association; 2009
- "What to Expect: Eating Well When You're Expecting"; Heidi Murkoff et al.; 2005
- "Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today's Mothers-to-Be"; Catherine Jones et al.; 2009
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