Eating for Two: Tips for a Nutritious Pregnancy Diet

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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