My Pregnancy

Healthy diet in pregnancy

Healthy diet in pregnancy

Its important to eat healthy balanced diet in right proportion to have healthy living but its more important when you are pregnant or planning pregnancy. You do not need to achieve this balance with every meal, but try to get the balance right over a week

A big no to “eat for 2”

You may feel more hungrier than usual, don’t eat for 2. Recommendation remains the same even if you are pregnant with twins or triplets.

Its only 300 calories extra, If you are wondering how 300 calories look like 

Via healthyeater

Fruit and vegetables in pregnancy: 5 a day

Take at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. It eases constipation which is very common in pregnancy.

–  80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit and vegetables counts as 1 portion of your 5 A Day. 

–  30g of dried fruit (this is equivalent to around 80g of fresh fruit) counts as 1 portion of your 5 A Day. preferably eaten at mealtimes, to avoid tooth decay.

–  150ml of fruit juice, vegetable juice or smoothie. This only counts as once as part of your 5 A Day. Limit it to a combined total of 150ml a day. 

–   Beans or pulses. One portion is 80g, which is equivalent to around 3 heaped tablespoons of cooked pulses. This only counts as once as part of your 5 A Day. Though they are a good source of fibre but they are limited in nutrients than other fruits and vegetables. .

Potato, yams, cassava and plantain don’t count towards 5 A Day, they count as starchy foods.

Starchy foods (carbohydrates) in pregnancy

Starchy foods include bread, potatoes, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, maize, millet, oats, yams and cornmeal. 

These foods should make up just over a 3rd of the food you eat. 

Instead of refined starchy (white) food, choose wholegrain or higher-fibre options such as wholewheat pasta, brown rice or simply leaving the skins on potatoes.

Protein in pregnancy

Meat:

Take 70g (cooked weight) of meat a day and make healthier choices.

Eat some protein-rich foods every day. Sources of protein include:

  • beans
  • pulses
  • fish
  • eggs
  • meat (but avoid liver)
  • poultry
  • nuts

Choose lean meat, remove the skin from poultry, and try not to add extra fat or oil when cooking meat. 

Make sure poultry, burgers, sausages and whole cuts of meat such as lamb, beef and pork are cooked very thoroughly until steaming all the way through. Check that there is no pink meat, and that juices have no pink or red in them.

Try to eat 2 portions of fish each week, 1 of which should be oily fish such as salmon, sardines or mackerel. Find out about the health benefits of fish and shellfish. There are some types of fish you should avoid when you’re pregnant or planning to get pregnant, including shark, swordfish and marlin.

When you’re pregnant, you should avoid having more than 2 portions of oily fish a week, such as salmon, trout, mackerel and herring, because it can contain pollutants (toxins).

You should avoid eating some raw or partially cooked eggs, as there is a risk of salmonella.

Dairy in pregnancy

Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, fromage frais and yoghurt are important in pregnancy because they contain calcium and other nutrients that you and your baby need.

Choose low-fat varieties wherever possible, such as semi-skimmed, 1 percent fat or skimmed milk, low-fat and lower-sugar yoghurt and reduced-fat hard cheese.

If you prefer dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks and yoghurts, go for unsweetened, calcium-fortified versions.

Unhealthy snacking

Foods that are high in fat, sugar, or both, are unhealthy. Use them less often and in small amounts.

  • all spreading fats (such as butter)
  • oils
  • salad dressings
  • cream
  • chocolate
  • crisps
  • biscuits
  • pastries
  • ice cream
  • cake
  • puddings
  • fizzy drinks

Healthy snacking

  • small sandwiches or pitta bread with grated cheese, lean ham, mashed tuna, salmon, or sardines, with salad
  • salad vegetables, such as carrot, celery or cucumber
  • low-fat, lower-sugar fruit yoghurt, plain yoghurt or fromage frais with fruit
  • hummus with wholemeal pitta bread or vegetable sticks
  • ready-to-eat apricots, figs or prunes
  • vegetable and bean soups
  • a small bowl of unsweetened breakfast cereal, or porridge, with milk
  • milky drinks
  • fresh fruit
  • baked beans on toast or a small baked potato
  • a small slice of malt loaf, a fruited tea cake or a slice of toasted fruit bread

Preparing food safely

  • Wash fruit, vegetables and salads to remove all traces of soil, which may contain toxoplasma (a parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis) which can harm your unborn baby.
  • Wash all surfaces and utensils, and your hands, after preparing raw foods (poultry, meat, eggs, fish, shellfish and raw vegetables) to help you avoid food poisoning.
  • Make sure that raw foods are stored separately from ready-to-eat foods, otherwise there’s a risk of contamination.
  • Use a separate knife and chopping board for raw meats.
  • Heat ready meals until they’re steaming hot all the way through – this is especially important for meals containing poultry.

You also need to make sure that some foods, such as eggs, poultry, burgers, sausages and whole cuts of meat like lamb, beef and pork, are cooked very thoroughly until steaming all the way through.