Understanding the importance of foods to eat when pregnant needs to be your number-one priority if you are expecting a baby right now. This means you have to consider the quality and types of foods you eat so that you get the utmost benefit of the nutrients that are necessary for the healthy development of your baby.
The developing fetus needs approximately 300 calories daily. A person's normal calorific intake is approximately 2000 calories, so we can see that a pregnant woman does not have to make significant changes to her calorie intake. However what she may have to change (depending on her dietary habits) is the quality and nutrient level of the foods that she eats. Nutrients are what are required to ensure healthy fetal growth and development, and reduce the possibility of complications like low birth weight, miscarriage, developmental problems and still-birth.
The first thing that a pregnant woman needs to know is that she is required to eat foods from all food groups, this includes animal products (white meats, red meats, fish), dairy products (milk, cheeses), carbohydrates (bread, rice, pasta, potato), cereals and lots of fruits and vegetables.
Your list of foods to eat when pregnant will need to contain all the essential nutrients that are required for a healthy pregnancy. Proteins are important for the brain cells of the fetus, hence a daily intake of around 75 grams of protein (3-4 servings) is recommended. Proteins can be found in meats such as pork, chicken and beef, as well as cereals, eggs, beans and nuts. Carbohydrates, which are required to provide energy to the mother as she goes about her daily tasks, can be found in bread, rice, pasta, fruit and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. Calcium is needed for strong teeth and bones, and the recommended intake is four servings. Calcium is found in milk, yogurt, cheese and soaked grains.
While you are pregnant you may find yourself craving certain foods. It is thought that this is your body's way of telling you that it requires a specific nutrient, and it is recommended that you recognize this craving and give in to it. However this doesn't mean that you can gorge yourself on chocolate cake if this is your craving! In this case try and satisfy your sweet tooth with an alternative healthy snack like frozen yogurt for example.
Finally, if you are in the habit of eating 3 square meals a day, we recommend that as your pregnancy progresses, to change this habit to five or six small meals a day. This has the advantage of providing a steady flow of nutrients to your growing baby, as well as a steady flow of energy to you, which becomes more important as you get bigger and tire quicker.
Nobody said it would be easy to keep track of your fetus's health, but the effort makes sense when you realize how much your healthy pregnancy diet is benefiting your developing baby. Nothing is more important than your baby's well being, and this is why you owe it to your baby to think twice about the foods to eat when pregnant.
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