What foods are classified as healthy versus unhealthy for pregnant women?

Yes, Preganacy is a crucial time to eat well and get nourished!  As a Clinical Nutritionist I have a great nourishing system that is wonderful for pregnant women - AND their family!  It is seemless to integrate.  This turnkey system helps you choose in proportion and perfect combination high starch, low starch vegetables, clean lean protein, health fats and booster foods!  Not to mention, this maintains blood sugar, deeply nourishes your and baby and helps prevent unnessary weight gain and implications such as gestational diabetes.

Please contact me at www.getnourished.tv for more information.

may you and your baby, be well & thrive!

Sarah

Proper pregnancy nutrition requires a safe, balanced diet.  Experts agree it is important for the health of the baby and the mother to consume nutrients and vitamins from whole foods. 

It is a simple nutrition fact that the fetus takes nutrients from the mother; therefore if the mother does not eat properly, both may suffer the consequences. Expectant mothers should be free to gain weight, within reason, on a balanced diet including protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates and vitamins and minerals from whole foods.

According to the Institute of Medicine, "the average active woman needs between 2,200 and 2,400 calories per day before pregnancy, bringing total calorie needs to about 2,500 to 2,700 calories per day in the second trimester and 2,650 to 2,850 calories per day in the third trimester. Inactive women will require fewer calories."

Consequently, proper pregnancy nutrition is an important focus. Women need to choose their meals wisely to make sure they’re getting the vitamins and minerals they need without packing on the calories. It’s important to eat foods that are high in fiber with whole food nutrients including complex carbohydrates, but not high in fat or simple carbs from too much sugar.

A whole food diet filled with phytonutrients from fruits and vegetables is a healthful choice for pregnant women. Optimum pregnancy nutrition can be assured when consuming the highest quality nutrients from sources such as leafy green vegetables, apples, broccoli, carrots, berries, and other all natural foods.

Expectant mothers need to be aware of their special needs for vitamins and minerals.  Some of the most valuable elements of perfect pregnancy nutrition include:

    * calcium
    * protein
    * phosphorus
    * potassium
    * folic acid (folate)Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate found in  supplements
    * Vitamins A, D, C, E and the entire B complex.

If you are inclined to take a calcium supplement, not only is it important for perfect pregnancy nutrition that the calcium originates from whole food sources, it is equally important that Vitamin D2 is present.  Vitamin D2 is crucial to aid the body in absorbing calcium.  Vitamin D2 is a necessary component to work with the calcium for improved bone strength and density.   In one particular natural whole food calcium supplement, 3 types of calcium are included with different absorption characteristics, and Vitamin D2 is present to enhance the absorption of calcium.

Folate, also called Folic Acid and Vitamin B9 is another essential nutrient for perfect pregnancy nutrition.  Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps the body create healthy new cells.  Moms who include sufficient folic acid in their diets are taking positive steps toward preventing birth defects, especially of the baby's brain or spine.

Read these valuable articles:

Healthy Pregnancy Nutrition Requires Facts About Whole Foods

Whole Food Vitamins are Important for Proper Pregnancy Nutrition