Pregnancy Healthy Diet

When you are pregnant, you need to be on a pregnancy healthy diet. It is more important than ever to eat smart and make healthy food choices to support your baby's growth during pregnancy. You should try to eat foods from each of the five food groups every day because they provide important nutrients that both you and your baby need.

When on a pregnancy healthy diet, women need around 300 extra calories per day, which equates to one extra healthy snack, such as four fig bars and a glass of skim milk. During a pregnancy healthy diet, the exact amount of extra calories you need will depend on what your weight was before pregnancy. You should be sure to talk to your health provider to learn more about a healthy eating plan that is right for you.

A pregnancy healthy diet should follow these recommended guidelines for daily food servings. You should eat the following each day, 6 ounces of grains, 2.5-cups of vegetables, 2-cups of fruit, 3-cups of milk products, and 5.5 ounces of protein, In addition, you should take a multi-vitamin and a prenatal vitamins rich in folic acid, which will prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord.

Helpful hits for making the most of your pregnancy healthy diet include eating smaller meals to relieve heartburn. You should eat healthy snacks such as yogurt, cheese, peanut butter, and vegetables. Be sure to drink at least eight glasses of milk, juice, or water per day, and limit your caffeine intake.

Foods you should avoid on a pregnancy healthy diet include under cooked eggs, any raw fish with a special emphasis on shellfish, unpasteurized dairy products or juices, and herbal products such as, supplements and tea. In addition, many species of fish contain high levels of mercury and should be avoided, some of which include shark, king mackerel, and swordfish. Acceptable types of fish to eat while on a pregnancy healthy diet include no more than12 ounces of light tuna, shrimp, or salmon per week.

When you are on a pregnancy healthy diet, you do not have to give up all the foods you love, you simply need to eat smart and make healthy choices.

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