Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Prenatal Nutrition Basics

In an effort to save paper and yet still share the knowledge we have at FITMOM, I have promised the current group of moms2be in our prenatal yoga session that I would post up our handouts to my blog.  This week I thought I would share some basic information regarding prenatal nutrition. 


§  Enjoy a variety of food from each 4 food groups

§  Need to eat frequent smaller meals to maintain adequate levels of blood glucose

§  Every three hours: 1 protein + 1 carb/starch + 1 fruit/veg

§  Grain products – 8-10 servings per day (slice of bread, ¾ cooked cereal, etc.)

§  Veggies and fruit – 6-10 servings (I med fruit of veg, ½ cup of fresh fruit. Vegetable juice)

§  Milk products – 3-4 servings

§  Meat & alternatives – 2-3 servings

§  Ensure adequate fluid intake of 1500-2000 ml (6-8 cups)

§  Gradual weight gain

§  Limit intake of foods that contain caffeine

 

Energy – 1800-2400 kcals, +100 first trimester, +300 in 2nd and 3rd trimester, +450 for lactation

 

Examples of portion size:

1 cup/250 ml of orange juice counts as 2 servings of fruit

1 cup of broccoli counts as 2 servings of vegetables

1 bagel or bun or 1 cup of pasta or rice counts as 2 servings of grains

 

Top Nutrients


 

Calcium:
Used to build bones and teeth, used in other physiological process

Requirements: 1000 mg/day

Excellent Sources (275mg or more):  milk, Swiss cheese, tofu with calcium sulfate, plain yogurt, sesame seeds, fortified plant based beverages

 

Good Sources (165mg or more):  cheese, flavored yogurt, sardines, canned salmon, - include the bones

 

Other (55mg or more):  creamed cheese, cooked or canned legumes, booked bok choy, kale, turnup greens, mustard greens, broccoli, orange, cooked scallops, cooked oysters, almonds, dried sunflower seeds

 

Folate 
Necessary for erythrocyte production for fetus, prevents neural tube defects, protects from heart disease. 

Requirements during pregnancy: 600 micrograms/day

 

Excellent Sources (55 ug or more):  cooked fava, kidney, pinto, roman, soy, white bean, chick peas lentils, cooked spinach, asparagus, romaine lettuce, orange juice, canned pineapple juice, sunflower seeds

 

Good Sources 33 ug or more): cooked lima beans, corn, bean spouts, cooked broccoli, green beans, brussel sprouts, beats, orange, honeydew, raspberries, blackberries, avocado, roasted nuts, wheat germ

 

Other sources (11 ug or more): cooked carrots, beet greens, sweet potato, snow peas, summer or winter squash, rutabaga, cabbage, green beans, cashews, roasted peanuts, walnuts, egg, strawberries, banana, grapefruit, cantaloupe, whole wheat or white bread, pork kidney, breakfast cereals, milk

 

Iron:
Carries oxygen in the blood to entire body

Requirements:  1st trimester: 13mg/day; 2nd trimester: 18 mg/d; 3rd trimester: 23 mg/day

Excellent Source (3.5mg or more):  HEME – clams, oysters;  NON-HEME – cooked beans, chick peas, lentils, pumpkin, sesame, and squash seeds, tofu

 

Good Sources (2.1 mg or more):  HEME – beef;  NON-HEME – canned luma, red kidney, chick and split peas, cooked enriched egg noodles, dried apricots

 

Other (0.7 mg or more):  HEME – chicken, ham, lamb, pork, veal, halibut, haddock, perch, salmon, shrimp, sardines, tuna;  NON-HEME – peanuts, pecans, walnuts, etc., cooked pasta, bread, wheat germ, pumpernickel, bran muffins, cooked oatmeal, egg, beets, pumpkin, dried raisons, peaches, prunes and apricots

 

Note: Heme iron is more easily absorbed than non-heme


Protein:
Main building block for most tissues and enzymes in the body

Requirements:  1st Trimester: extra 5 g/day;  2nd trimester: extra 20 g/day; 3rd trimester: extra 24g/day

Where to get it: Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy foods, beans and legumes, nuts

 

Vitamin C:
Antioxidant and disease prevention

Requirements: 85 mg day

Where to get it: Citrus fruits and juices, strawberries, bell peppers, tomatoes, dark leafy greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts

 

Fats
Provides fuel for body, necessary for proper fetal development, especially brain, Essential for healthy skin, hair and eyes. Sub-clinical essential fatty acid deficiency may be related to depression and degenerative diseases of eyes, joints and skin. Helps body to stretch, making the cells pliable

 

Requirements:  1st Trimester: extra .005 g/day of omega 3 fatty acids, extra 0.3 g/d omega 6 fatty acids;  2nd  and 3rd  trimester: extra .016 g/day of omega 3 fatty acids, extra 0.9 g/d omega 6 fatty acids

Where to get it: Flax, fish (especially small, bony fish), nuts and seeds

 

Water
65% of total body weight comes from water, adequate hydration crucial for proper physiological function.

Requirements:  6-12 cups a day

Where to get it: Water is the best source, however fruit, vegetables, juice, milk, jello and soups have water in them.

 

Reduce/avoid the amount of:

§  Caffeine – less than 150 mg/day (1-2 small cups/day)

§  Alcohol

§  Salt – already found in many snacks, pickles, olives, processed meats, condiments, commercial soups, processed foods, etc.

§  Artificial sweeteners

§  Raw Fish, unpasteurized cheese and honey