A healthy diet during pregnancy is essential to
provide all the nutrients needed by a mother and her
growing baby. It is a common misconception that pregnant
women need to ‘‘eat for two’’. In fact, most of the
additional nutrients needed during pregnancy can be
obtained by selecting appropriate foods and eating a
high quality nutrient-dense diet.
Although pregnant women do not have to ‘‘eat for
two’’, a healthy, balanced and varied diet that is rich in
vitamins and minerals is important for both a mother and
her baby.
The mother’s dietmust provide sufficient energy
(calories) and nutrients tomeet her usual requirements, as
well as the needs of the growing fetus, and enable the
mother to lay down stores of nutrients required for the
baby’s development and for breastfeeding.
Pregnant women, as well as those planning for
pregnancy, should follow a healthy, balanced diet.
This can be achieved by following the usual guidelines,
which are based around the five main food groups:
-Bread, other cereals and potatoes.
Foods in this
group include breakfast cereals, pasta and rice.
These foods should make up the main part of the
diet. They are good sources of carbohydrate, protein
and B vitamins, low in fat and filling. Whole-grain
varieties contain more vitamins and minerals and
breakfast cereals that contain added iron and folic
acid are a good choice during pregnancy.
-Fruit and vegetables.
This includes fresh, frozen,
tinned and dried varieties and fruit juice. It is recommended
to consume at least five portions of different
types each day (although fruit juice counts as only
one portion however much is drunk in a day). Fruit
and vegetables provide a number of important nutrients including vitamin C, beta-carotene, folate and potassium,
as well as fibre.
-Meat, fish and alternatives.
Alternatives include eggs,
nuts, pulses (such as beans, lentils, chickpeas) and
textured vegetable protein. These should be consumed
in moderate amounts and lower fat versions
selected whenever possible. They are a major source
of protein, vitamins and minerals. Atleast one portion
of oily fish (e.g. sardines or salmon) a week will
ensure an adequate supply of omega-3 fatty acids.
-Milk and dairy foods.
These should be consumed in
moderate amounts and lower fat versions are preferable.
These foods are particularly high in calcium
and good sources of protein. Skimmed and semiskimmed
milk contain just as much calcium and protein
as whole milk.
-Foods containing fat and sugar.
These foods add palatability
to the diet but should be eaten infrequently.
However there are
some specific recommendations, which include taking
folic acid supplements in early pregnancy to reduce the
risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
It is also
important for pregnant women to be adopt good food
hygiene practices to minimize the risk of food poisoning
from harmful bacteria and to avoid substances in foods
and drinks that might be potentially harmful to them or
their growing baby.
