All about eating healthy while you are pregnant

There are many different concerns that a woman has after she gets pregnant, however, most women who have been pregnant report that they immediately vow to start eating healthy once they know their expecting. It is important to eat healthy since your eating habits will for the basis,for your baby to grow into a strong child and adult,. A healthy prenatal diet has also been show to reduce your baby's risk for several illnesses as well.

So if you are planning to become pregnant or are already pregnant, here is all about eating healthy while you are pregnant-

• Choose nutrient dense foods-It is important to choose "double duty food". These foods include: poultry, beef, dairy products (especially yogurt) and peanut butter. Other foods that should be included in your diet are lean pork, orange juice, black beans, spinach, and whole grains. The reason these foods are so good, for you is that they are all high in calcium, iron, protein and many other nutrients that your baby needs.


• Stay away from foods that have empty calories-While sweets are fine during pregnancy, you want to make sure you only indulge occasionally. Moderation should be practiced in everything that you eat. While it can be fun to eat these type of foods, you need to make sure that you limit yourself to one portion a day, so that you don't feel like you are depriving yourself. In addition, this helps you not to overeat.


• Remember that you are not really eating for two-You should focus on eating until you are not hungry, rather then waiting until you are full. The reality is that you only need about 300 extra calories per day and most of these should be eaten only in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. While you don't want to deprive yourself of calories, you should be careful about how much weight you gain. To much weight gain during pregnancy has been linked to gestational diabetes, pregnancy induced hypertension and longer labor. All conditions that any pregnant woman wants to avoid.


• Keep taking your vitamins-It can be hard even when you're not pregnant to get all of the nutrients you need from food. This makes taking a prenatal vitamin even that much more important. A prenatal vitamin can act as a safeguard. If you are unsure of which one to take ask your healthcare professional, for a recommendation.


• Make sure you get enough fiber and water-It is important to try and drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday. This can help to prevent both dehydration and constipation. In addition, a large part of your diet should be centered around; foods that are either whole wheat or whole grain. This can include: breads, pastas, fruits and veggies. Best of all fiber can help you to feel full longer, which helps to prevent overeating.


• Avoid risky foods-While pregnant women are focusing on what they should be eating there are also foods that should be avoided. Any soft cheeses (Brie, Camembert etc) feta, and blue veined cheeses should not be eaten during pregnancy. In addition, deli meats can pose a serious threat, so pregnant women are encouraged to buy prepackaged cold cuts, rather then those at the deli counter. Finally, any raw seafood, or eggs should not be eaten to reduce the risk of contracting salmonella.


• Try for variety-Just like for everyone else, a diet with lots of variety is often the healthiest. However, this can be difficult for pregnant women who may not feel well. You may want to focus only on a food or two that brings you comfort, but this may not be the most nutritious choice. If you can, you should make sure that your diet has a large amount of variety that pulls from all of the food groups. This will give you and the baby you are growing, the healthiest possible diet.