When you are pregnant, your body undergoes a lot of changes. In order for these changes to happen, and to keep you and your baby in the best condition, you’ll need to ensure you are eating as healthily as possible. A poor diet during pregnancy could mean that your body has to work harder to make those important changes, and that could leave you feeling exhausted and unwell. It might even lead to serious health conditions. With that in mind, here are some ideas from a contributor to better help you eat healthily during pregnancy. 

 

Focus On Whole Foods 

If you really want to have a healthy diet during your pregnancy, it’s a good idea to focus on whole foods as much as possible. When you eat whole foods, they are just as they come, and they haven’t been processed or changed in any way – this means they are densely packed with nutrients. As soon as any processing takes place, you’ll start to lose these all-important and healthy elements. 

 

Whole foods encompass a wide range of different things, including fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, lean proteins, and more. 

 

Eat More Fruit And Vegetables 

Of course, some of the healthiest food around is fruit and vegetables, especially when they are in their whole form, as we mentioned above. Ensuring that you have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day is sometimes difficult, but it’s a good way to ensure you are giving yourself and your baby the healthiest pregnancy possible. 

 

Some people like to make smoothies to boost their fruit (or vegetable) intake. This is a great idea, especially when you’re on the go, but you must also be careful. Smoothies can be high in sugar, and if you have gestational diabetes, for example, too much sugar has to be avoided. It’s best to speak to an expert in obstetrics and have some tests done so you know one way or the other. 

 

Choose Healthy Fats 

Healthy fats are important for your baby’s brain development as well as their nervous system, so it’s a great idea to include these in your diet where you can. It might sound hard to find healthy fats, but the truth is that can be found in numerous different foods, including nuts, seeds, avocados, and fatty fish – and there is a lot more besides. 

 

Avoid Certain Foods 

Some foods are very good for you during your pregnancy, but some should be entirely avoided. It’s true that you might be perfectly fine after eating them and that they don’t affect your baby, but it’s not wise to take the chance, and going without for nine months or so isn’t too much of a hardship when you think about it. 

 

Some examples of the things you need to avoid are raw or undercooked meat and fish, fish that contains high levels of mercury, unpasteurized dairy products, and any food that is high in sugar. You should also avoid alcohol. There is some debate about whether or not coffee and other caffeinated drinks are wise to consume when pregnant, and various answers on the subject. It’s often better to be safe than sorry, so again, try to avoid them or switch to decaffeinated if that is helpful.