Best Diet for Pregnant Women
While every normal, healthy person should follow a well-balanced diet, nutrition is perhaps most critical to achieve the best diet for pregnant women. Nausea early in pregnancy can often cause a woman to avoid eating - however, it is absolutely essential that pregnant women try to eat as many vitamin and mineral-filled foods as possible.
During this time, a woman should try to find foods that are the least upsetting to her stomach, and also contains some of her recommended nutritional needs. Ideally, she try to eat around 300 more calories per day than she was used to in her normal diet - a daunting task, perhaps, but a necessary one.
In a perfect world, the best diet for pregnant women contains at least six servings of fruits and vegetables, five servings of breads and whole grains, and four servings of both dairy and meat. It's okay in indulge in odd, somewhat unhealthy cravings once in awhile, but in general, women should stick to foods that meet their daily requirements whenever possible.
Foods to avoided include raw eggs and meat, fish that potentially will contain mercury (such as swordfish), and unpasteurized cheeses. Furthermore, anything mind-altering or toxic such as caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes, or illegal drugs can be extremely harmful for the developing fetus. For this reason, they should not be consumed, ever.
In addition, women should seek out food and supplements that contain vitamins such as A and C. They should be intrinsic to the best diet for pregnant women. Additionally, calcium and iron are essential minerals that largely contribute to the development of the baby.
For example, women store calcium in their bones during the first six months of pregnancy, which is used later by the baby for his or her own tooth-bone development. Pre-menopausal woman are often lacking in iron, but this is especially true of pregnant women. There is an increase in blood volume, and iron becomes critical for the formation of red blood cells in the fetus.
Lastly, folic acid deserves a very special mention, as it is most essential to the best diet for pregnant women. It is ultra-important to the baby's mental development,as the brain and spinal cord are largely dependent on it, particularly in the early months of pregnancy. Women are encouraged to eat green, leafy plants such as spinach, but eggs and some tropical fruits are also an excellent source of folic acid.
However, most women cannot achieve the folic acid requirements through diet alone, and therefore, it is recommended that women take supplements. In summary, if follow the best diet for pregnant women as closely as possible, you can be assured that you have done everything you can to promote you baby's good health.
During this time, a woman should try to find foods that are the least upsetting to her stomach, and also contains some of her recommended nutritional needs. Ideally, she try to eat around 300 more calories per day than she was used to in her normal diet - a daunting task, perhaps, but a necessary one.
In a perfect world, the best diet for pregnant women contains at least six servings of fruits and vegetables, five servings of breads and whole grains, and four servings of both dairy and meat. It's okay in indulge in odd, somewhat unhealthy cravings once in awhile, but in general, women should stick to foods that meet their daily requirements whenever possible.
Foods to avoided include raw eggs and meat, fish that potentially will contain mercury (such as swordfish), and unpasteurized cheeses. Furthermore, anything mind-altering or toxic such as caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes, or illegal drugs can be extremely harmful for the developing fetus. For this reason, they should not be consumed, ever.
In addition, women should seek out food and supplements that contain vitamins such as A and C. They should be intrinsic to the best diet for pregnant women. Additionally, calcium and iron are essential minerals that largely contribute to the development of the baby.
For example, women store calcium in their bones during the first six months of pregnancy, which is used later by the baby for his or her own tooth-bone development. Pre-menopausal woman are often lacking in iron, but this is especially true of pregnant women. There is an increase in blood volume, and iron becomes critical for the formation of red blood cells in the fetus.
Lastly, folic acid deserves a very special mention, as it is most essential to the best diet for pregnant women. It is ultra-important to the baby's mental development,as the brain and spinal cord are largely dependent on it, particularly in the early months of pregnancy. Women are encouraged to eat green, leafy plants such as spinach, but eggs and some tropical fruits are also an excellent source of folic acid.
However, most women cannot achieve the folic acid requirements through diet alone, and therefore, it is recommended that women take supplements. In summary, if follow the best diet for pregnant women as closely as possible, you can be assured that you have done everything you can to promote you baby's good health.
Source...