Nutrition for Pregnant Women

The Best Nutrition For Pregnant Women

This original article was written by Aliceshown

Pregnancy is a time when your body begins to undergo sudden and rapid changes. Even if you have been eating a healthy diet prior to your pregnancy, you have to pay extra attention to what you eat when you are pregnant.

Given below are a few guidelines regarding nutrition for pregnant women:

· Avoid empty calories. Choose whole grain foods and substitute high calorie foods with foods that have higher nutritive value.

· Pregnant women need approximately 1,500 mg of calcium every day. This supplies enough calcium to the fetus for bone growth and prevents the mother from losing her bone density. Calcium rich foods include tofu, salmon, green leafy vegetables and dairy products.

· Another important aspect of nutrition for pregnant women is regarding the need to stock up on food rich in iron. Iron supplements often lead to constipation, though it may help if you take your supplements with food. To improve iron absorption, include food that is rich in vitamin C.

· Folic acid is important to proper fetal growth. Natural foods like dark green vegetables, oranges, grains, beans, lean meat and liver are rich in folic acid. You also get folic acid supplements, and doctors often recommend the intake of prenatal vitamins that contain folic acid.

· Pregnant mothers must not follow a restrictive diet. Eat enough to gain weight at the recommended rate. Avoid alcohol and quit smoking.

· Although some amount of fortified foods is helpful, large doses can cause health problems.

· Pregnant women should avoid undercooked food, swordfish, mackerel and tilefish since these may contain high levels of Mercury.

By following these tenets of good nutrition, a pregnant mother can ensure the health and proper development of her baby.

Pregnant Women & Nutrition

This original article was written by Tammy Foster -

Making sure her growing baby is getting the best possible healthy growing conditions, is of supreme importance for any pregnant woman. Nutrition is the most important controllable aspect in developing a successful pregnancy. Believe it or not, the daily recommended additional calorie intake for pregnant women is only around 300.

An extra tuna fish sandwich or bagel with low-fat cream cheese can do the trick. Don’t give in to the myth that a pregnant woman needs a boatload of extra calories every day…just 300 will do the trick.

Protein is one of the nutrients that you should up your intake of while you are pregnant. Lean meats, chicken and fish are good choices or protein. Calcium is another essential element during a pregnancy. Today’s, women who are not even pregnant generally fall short of the recommended daily amount of calcium intake… so increasing your calcium is generally a good idea to begin with. The use of non fat sources of calcium in your diet, this will help keep your calorie intake under control as well. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, so a daily supplement can be a good idea. As the blood volume rises with the advance of pregnancy, additional iron is required. The daily recommended amount of iron doubles for expectant mothers from 15 mg/day to 30 mg/day. Make sure you get your iron supplement because iron is very important! Your healthcare provider will monitor lab work to see if you need to take an iron supplement.

A good source of iron is red meat, but forget about fish and poultry as well. Vegetarians generally must keep a closer watch on their nutrient levels.

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