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Diet Tips For Pregnant Women

Submitted by Loring A. Windblad on February 10, 2010

Diet And Nutrition During Pregnancy

A nutritious, well balanced diet during pregnancy is necessary to ensure the good health of the would-be mother as well as the proper development of the growing fetus. The growing baby needs an average of 300 extra calories per day in the second and the third trimesters. This does not imply that a pregnant woman should start overeating, but simply that she should eat the right kind of food in order to meet the nutritional requirements of both her own body and that of her baby.

One of the most crucial minerals that should constitute the diet of pregnant women is iron. Deficiency of iron in food is often responsible for anemic symptoms in pregnant women. Since this mineral plays a crucial role in ensuring that the blood cells carry essential nutrients to the fetus, consuming enough natural sources of iron is necessary for the proper development of the baby.

Spinach, kidney beans, molasses, turnip greens, peas, lentils, apricots, raisins and prunes are recommended sources of iron. Pregnant women should also consume sufficient amounts of natural proteins in the form of whole grains, legumes, eggs, dairy products and nuts.

Calcium is another essential nutrient that a pregnant woman must consume through their regular diet in order to ensure the proper development of the baby’s teeth and bones as well as to strengthen her own bones in order to bear the weight of the growing baby and to withstand the strain of childbirth.

Milk, tofu, yoghurt and soy products are excellent natural sources of calcium and should be eaten daily. It is also important that the pregnant woman should not suffer from any major infections during gestation, as this may have severely adverse effects on the growing baby.
Including natural sources of zinc in the diet is an effective way of strengthening the body’s natural immunity.

The expectant mother should eat wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, dried beans, cereals and milk every day for this purpose. Omega-3 fatty acids are also important for ensuring that the baby’s nervous system and eyes do not suffer from any defect.

Pregnant women should consume rapeseed, flaxseed or linseed oils to supply this essential nutrient to their body.

In addition to this, it is also suggested that pregnant women should avoid artificially sweetened drinks and foodstuff containing saturated fats, as this may raise the blood sugar and cholesterol level and lead to hypertension in the gestational period.

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