Tips for balanced nutrition

It is very important to have the right nutrition during pregnancy. Some women do not get the right nutrition for many reasons, can be because they do not have access to the right foods, do not know what the proper diet is, cannot eat certain foods etc. So here are some ways to get the right nutrition.

If you have morning sickness, which can last all day long makes it difficult to eat certain foods or take prenatal vitamins, so talk to your doctor about ways to treat morning sickness. Now they have gummies for prenatal vitamins, which digest faster and are not huge pills. If you are planning to get pregnant, start eating to make sure you have a healthy pregnancy and you can start taking prenatal vitamins beforehand. NEVER diet while pregnancy or breastfeeding!

Fruits and vegetables

• You should get at least 70mg of Vitamin C a day, and .4 mg of folic acid, which can be found in dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, such as black or lima beans, black-eyed peas, and veal). You should have at least 2-4 servings of fruit and 4 or more servings of vegetables daily. In general, 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables or vegetable juice, or 2 cups of raw leafy greens can be considered as 1 cup from the Vegetable Group

In general, 1 cup of fruit or 100% fruit juice, or ½ cup of dried fruit can be considered as 1 cup from the Fruit Group.

Breads and grains

• You should consume anywhere between 6-11 oz of breads/grains daily. Any food made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another cereal grain is a grain product. Bread, pasta, oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits are examples of grain products. Grains are divided into 2 subgroups, Whole Grains and Refined Grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel ― the bran, germ, and endosperm. Examples of whole grains include whole-wheat flour, bulgur (cracked wheat), oatmeal, whole cornmeal, and brown rice. Refined grains have been milled, a process that removes the bran and germ. This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life, but it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products are white flour, de-germed cornmeal, white bread, and white rice. Most refined grains are enriched. This means certain B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid) and iron are added back after processing. Fiber is not added back to enriched grains. Check the ingredient list on refined grain products to make sure that the word "enriched" is included in the grain name. Some food products are made from mixtures of whole grains and refined grains.

• Meat, poultry fish, eggs and beans contain the protein, B vitamins and iron needed. 3 servings or about 27 mg per day. All foods made from meat, poultry, seafood, beans and peas, eggs, processed soy products, nuts, and seeds are considered part of the Protein Foods Group. Beans and peas are also part of the Vegetable Group. For more information on beans and peas, Select a variety of protein foods to improve nutrient intake and health benefits. Vegetarian options in the Protein Foods Group include beans and peas, processed soy products, and nuts and seeds. Meat and poultry choices should be lean or low-fat. In general, 1 ounce of meat, poultry or fish, ¼ cup cooked beans, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, or ½ ounce of nuts or seeds can be considered as 1 ounce-equivalent from the Protein Foods Group.

Dairy Products

• At least 1000 mg or 4 servings of calcium are needed daily to support a pregnancy. Calcium is essential for building strong teeth and bones, normal blood clotting, and muscle and nerve function. Since your developing baby requires a considerable amount of calcium, your body will take calcium from your bones, if you do not consume enough through your diet (which can lead to future problems, such as osteoporosis).Good sources of calcium include milk, cheese, yogurt, cream soups and puddings. Calcium-fortified juices, cereals, breads, rice milk, or almond milk.

Canned fish (sardines, salmon with bones) soybeans and other soy products (tofu made with calcium sulfate, soy yogurt, tempeh), some other beans, and some leafy greens (collard and turnip greens, kale, bok choy). The amount of calcium that can be absorbed from these foods varies.

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Foods not to eat while pregnant: raw seafood, rare or undercooked beef or poultry, deli meat, fish with mercury, smoked seafood, fish exposed to industrial pollutants, raw shellfish, raw eggs, soft cheeses such as unless they clearly state they are made from pasteurized milk, milk should also be pasteurized, pate, caffeine, alcohol and unwashed produce.

Necessary Vitamins during Pregnancy

Folic acid

Folic acid helps prevent neural tube birth defects, which affect the brain and spinal cord.

Neural tube defects develop in the first 28 days after conception, before many women know they are pregnant. Because about half of all pregnancies are unplanned, it's recommended that any woman who could get pregnant take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily, starting before conception and continuing for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. A woman who has already had a baby with a neural tube defect should talk to her health care provider about whether she might need to take a different dose of folic acid. Studies have shown that taking a larger dose (up to 4,000 micrograms) at least one month before and during the first trimester may be beneficial for those women, but check with your doctor first.

Foods containing folic acid include green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, citrus fruits, and many fortified foods. Even so, it's a good idea to take a supplement with the right amount of folic acid as a backup.

Calcium

• Calcium is also important for a pregnant woman. It can help prevent her from losing her own bone density as the baby uses calcium for its own bone growth.

Iodine

• Iodine is critical for a woman’s healthy thyroid function during pregnancy. A deficiency in iodine can cause stunted physical growth, severe mental disability, and deafness. Not enough iodine can lead to miscarriage and stillbirth.

Iron

• Iron helps blood -- in both the mother and baby -- carry oxygen.

Vitamin D

• Vitamin D is a steroid vitamin from a group of fat-soluble pro hormones. Vitamin D and pregnancy are important together. Expecting mothers need to make sure they get the recommended amounts of vitamin D during pregnancy for both their own well being and the healthy development of their baby. The most significant compounds for human development are D2 and D3. Vitamin C

• Both you and your baby need vitamin C daily because it's necessary for the body to make collagen, a structural protein that's a component of cartilage, tendons, bones, and skin. Based on animal studies, some researchers believe that vitamin C deficiencies in newborn babies can impair mental development.

• Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is essential for tissue repair, wound healing, bone growth and repair, and healthy skin. Vitamin C helps your body fight infections and acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.

• Vitamin C also helps your body absorb iron, especially from vegetarian sources.

• Thiamin (also known as thiamine or vitamin B1) enables you – and your baby – to convert carbohydrates into energy. It also helps your nervous system, muscles, and heart function normally and is essential for your baby's brain development.

• Riboflavin, or vitamin B2, is an essential vitamin that helps your body produce energy. It promotes your baby's growth, good vision, and healthy skin. Riboflavin is also essential for your baby's bone, muscle, and nerve development.

• There's some evidence that women who don't get enough riboflavin may be at greater risk for preeclampsia.

Niacin

• Niacin is an essential vitamin, also called vitamin B-3 or nicotinic acid. Your body uses it for turning food into energy, as well as for DNA, cell signaling and cell differentiation. During pregnancy, you don't want to consume too much or too little niacin.

Vitamin B12

• The adequacy of vitamin B12 during pregnancy is also quite important, as vitamin B12 is needed for nervous system health as well as the proper assembly of proteins that make up the physical body of the child Vitamin E

• One of its main functions is protecting cell membranes, which helps to maintain the structure of cells throughout the body. With your baby's cells multiplying at an astounding rate, vitamin E is an important nutrient to include in your pregnancy diet. Zinc

• Your baby needs zinc for cell growth and for the production and functioning of DNA – the body's genetic blueprint.

• Getting enough zinc is especially important during pregnancy because there's so much rapid cell growth. This essential mineral also helps support your immune system, maintain your senses of taste and smell, and heal wounds.

• Some studies link zinc deficiency to low birth weight and other problems during pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

• You don't have to get the recommended amount of zinc every day. Instead, aim for that amount as an average over the course of a few days or a week.

Recommended Doses of Vitamins

• 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid.

• 400 IU of vitamin D.

• 200 to 300 milligrams (mg) of calcium.

• 70 mg of vitamin C.

• 3 mg of thiamine.

• 2 mg of riboflavin.

• 20 mg of niacin.

• 6 mcg of vitamin B12.

• 10 mg of vitamin E.

• 15 mg of zinc.

• 17 mg of iron.

• 150 micrograms of iodine

references:

American Pregnancy Association USDA choosemyplate.gov

Oregon Health and Science University Web MD Pregnancy and Prenatal Vitamins American Pregnancy Vitamin D Baby Center Vitamin C in your pregnancy diet,

Vitamin E During Pregnancy for Cell Structure - Aptaclub