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
