From our very own Nutritionist - Dietitian, Grace Banal
You’re having a baby? Congratulations! And good job for being here because it shows that you are taking steps towards a healthy pregnancy!
Now here are my tips on how to have a healthy diet during pregnancy
✅ Eat more of these:
Dark green leafy vegetables
Malunggay, kangkong, pechay, mustasa, bok choy, dahon ng sili, broccoli, etc
These foods supply us with dietary folate which is essential for the development of baby’s brain and nervous system. A diet lacking in folate may lead to neural tube defects in infants.
Pregnant women (Filipinos) need about 600 mg dietary folate equivalent per day.
Other sources of folate include legumes and liver
Meat, fish, chicken as part of a healthy pregnancy diet
These foods are rich in iron. We need iron to make hemoglobin, a molecule in the blood that carries oxygen to cells throughout your body and to your growing baby
Having enough iron in your diet may help prevent anemia. Symptoms of anemia include tiredness, weakness, dizziness and shortness of breath (hinahapo).
Pregnant women are recommended to get 38mg iron from diet everyday. This might be difficult to achieve from foods alone so iron (and folate) supplement is recommended. Please consult your doctor before taking any prenatal supplement.
Other sources of iron include legumes, dried fruits and iron-fortified cereals.
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Citrus fruits such as guava, mango, pineapple and other fruits such as strawberries are rich in vitamin C
Red and Green bell peppers are very high in vitamin C
Potatoes and broccoli are also good sources of vitamin C
These foods complement iron-rich foods – Vitamin C in fresh fruits and vegetables help your body absorb iron from your diet
Vitamin C also helps maintain a healthy immune system which is very important during pregnancy.
Pregnant women are recommended to get 70 mg Vitamin C per day from their diet
For more information about Vitamin C, please check my FB post here.
Beans, nuts and seeds
Munggo, bitsuelas, patani, buto ng sitaw, bataw, soybeans, garbanzos, green peas
Mani, kasuy, pistachio, almonds, pecan nuts, macadamia nuts, butong pakwan, buto ng sunflower
These are excellent sources of calcium which helps pregnant moms maintain healthy bones and teeth. Calcium also helps prevent rickets (soft bones in infants/children).
Pregnant moms are advised to aim for 800 – 850 mg Calcium from their diet
Other sources of calcium are milk and dairy products, small fishes with bones, green leafy vegetables, and calcium fortified soy milk / orange juice.
❌ Avoid / Limit these during your pregnancy diet:
Alcohol
Beer, gin, wine, vodka, brandy, rum, soju, tequila, whisky etc
Please avoid drinking alcoholic beverages during pregnancy (or even if you’re just trying to get pregnant). Alcohol intake has been linked to preterm delivery, miscarriage and may affect baby’s brain and heart development
Caffeine
Coffee, tea, energy drinks that contain caffeine
Caffeine intake may affect the baby’s heart rate and breathing
Raw foods and foods that are not properly cooked / prepared
Food safety is very important especially for pregnant mothers to avoid food poisoning from Salmonella, E. coli, norovirus, botulism etc.
Food poisoning may cause diarrhea and vomiting which may lead to nutrient loss and hospitalizations.
Avoid food contamination by separating raw foods from cooked foods and make sure that eggs, chicken and other meats are cooked properly.
Avoid overcooking your vegetables, though. Just make sure that fresh fruits and vegetables and root crops are washed and cleaned thoroughly.
💡 Other Considerations:
Calories
It’s not true that pregnant women should “eat for two”. This may lead to excessive consumption of calories. Too much calories in the diet can cause excessive weight gain. This can put you at higher risk for hypertension, gestational diabetes and Cesarean section.
You have to eat just enough calories to achieve and maintain a healthy weight gain.
To know more about healthy weight gain during pregnancy, please consult your doctor. To know how much calories, carbohydrates, protein and fat you need and to help you plan your meals for healthy weight gain during pregnancy, please consult a licensed nutritionist-dietitian.
Exercise
Pregnant women are encouraged to engage in regular moderate physical activity.
This prevents excessive weight gain and improves sleep
Regular exercise also minimizes back pain, swelling and constipation among pregnant women
Please consult your doctor before starting any exercise regimen during pregnancy
Recommended physical activities are walking, brisk walking, swimming, elliptical machine, and light resistance training. If you find it difficult to carry on a conversation during your exercise, it means that the exercise may be too intense for you.
Avoid jumping and other jerky/bouncy movements. Avoid exercises that require you to lie on your back or where you may be hit in the belly
Avoid exercising in a very hot environment
Stop exercising if you feel chest pains, bleeding, outflow of amniotic fluid, abdominal plain or uterine contractions
Please talk to your OB-GYN before following any diet and exercise regimen and/or taking dietary supplements. For more information about nutrition during pregnancy, please consult our licensed nutritionist-dietitian, Grace Banal
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