Healthy Food Choices
Your Overall Health

Any diet needs healthy food choices.

Sounds boring to maintain a diet with the same food, right? Are you a healthier eater? Great, keep it up! Otherwise, the sooner you start eating smarter; the better will be your health.

The human brain is able to make hundreds of choices everyday, so why not to include food choices too in your daily life. Pregnancy and food are two things you should bear in mind during those nine months, especially healthy food.

Better food choice is synonymous of a higher quality of life, and possibly a longer life.

During pregnancy you have to ensure to maximize the nutrients in the foods you eat and make sure they are nourishing rather than just empty sources of calories.

Pregnancy is one of the most common conditions where your body demands a proper selection of nutrients. So having healthy food choices is fundamental for your coming baby.

Eating the right foods, along with an active lifestyle is essential in your pregnancy. These two things will help you to have:

• Energy in order to be prepare for all changes.
• Stamina to handle emotional ups and downs, and to deal with stress.
• Reduced risk for any health problem that may affect your baby.
• The needed nutrients for the better development of your baby.

Do you know why you choose one food over another? The answer is straight by “The Sense of Pleasure”. And this pleasure is the mother of all bad eating habits. So having plenty healthy food choices will allow you to control the pleasure to your favor. But do not be alarmed, eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite food. Simply you have to learn how to fit it in.

The greater the variety of food, the better is the pleasure. That’s a rule!

Never try to follow a diet that requires you to eat certain foods exclusively, such as high protein or high carbohydrate diets. Your baby needs a balance diet that includes carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

What are the types of foods I have to eat?

Following are foods that I found specially important during pregnancy and lactation.

1. Bread and Grains are the primary source of carbohydrates.

   Here you have some food choices with the healthiest form of carbohydrates:

   • Foods made from whole wheat are good choices. Do not choose refined wheat flour or white flour as they do not contain the whole portion of wheat grain that contains vitamins and fiber, leaving only simply carbohydrates. Some nutrients with whole wheat are: cereals, pasta, tortillas, bread, and crackers.
   • Foods with the whole grain like barley, corn, millet, quinoa or buckwheat. Choose brown rice instead of white rice.
   • Avoid eating regularly sweetened foods. It is fine to include few sweet things in your diet but do not exaggerate, the best healthy food choices rich in carbohydrates comes from whole grains, fruits and vegetables, not sweeteners.
   • Avoid unhealthy fats. When choosing crackers and breads, look for products that are free of hydrogenated oils.

2. Dairy Products are sources of calcium and protein which are highly needed in your pregnancy.

   Minimize whole-fat dairy products such as butter, whole milk, yogurts and cheeses. Instead look for low-fat or fat-free options, for example: low fat cheese, low-fat cottage and low-fat or skim milk. Having a glass of milk for an afternoon snack can significantly increase your daily calcium.

3. Fruits and Vegetables are sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber and water, which are worthy additions in your pregnancy.

   These nutrients can be considered one of the best healthy food choices. It is really hard to argue with the health benefits of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, especially for your unborn baby.

   Healthy Food Choices

   Although fruits and vegetables are already a source of a balanced diet, the value added to your pregnancy is to eat a wide variety of different types and colors. For example: Dark leafy greens, cooked tomatoes, and anything that's a rich yellow, orange, or red color.

   Include fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli and tomatoes.

   If you are deficient in vitamin A, eat dark leafy green vegetables everyday.

4. Protein Foods

   Proteins are important for your pregnancy and the development of your baby because they help to build muscle, tissue, enzymes, hormones and antibodies. Protein is also essential for adequate cell growth, blood production, and function of the placenta and amniotic tissue.

   Beans and Legumes are a good source of protein, and also contain calcium, iron, thiamine and niacin. If you are vegetarian, these nutrients are healthy food choices for your diet. Soya bean contains more protein than any bean or legume.

   The best known proteins are meat and fish. Here you have some protein-rich meets and fish:

   Meat: beef, chicken, veal, lamb, duck, turkey and pork.

   Fish: salmon, tilapia, trout, shrimp, lobster meat, crab meat and canned clams. Keep in mind that not all fish is good for pregnant women. You should avoid eating tuna, swordfish, shark, King Mackerel and tilefish.

   You should consume around 60 grams of protein per day.

What kinds of foods I should avoid?

Listeria can cross the placental barrier and be transmitted in the birth canal and can cause miscarriage.

Mercury can damage many parts of the body, including the nervous system, the lungs, the kidneys, vision, and hearing.

According to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and FoodSaftey.gov, here you have a list of foods that are not considered healthy food choices:

• Soft CHEESES made from un-pasteurized milk, including Brie, feta, Camembert, Roquefort.
• Certain kinds of FISH, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish (golden or white snapper). Eat fish lower in mercury, such as shrimp, salmon, pollock, and catfish.
• Un-pasteurized JUICE or cider (including fresh squeezed).
• SALADS made in a store, such as ham salad, chicken salad, and seafood salad. Home made salads are a good choice.
• Raw or undercooked SPROUTS, such as alfalfa, clover, mung bean, and radish.
• Raw or undercooked FISH (sushi).
• Un-pasteurized MILK.
• Deli meats such as ham, turkey, salami, and bologna or hot dogs unless the food has been thoroughly heated and is steaming hot.

Proper nutrition during pregnancy is one of the best ways that you can start your baby off to a great start in life.

• Anything grilled is always better than fried.
• Homemade foods are always the best choice.
• Stick with your exercise routine and eat a lot of healthy foods.
• Eating junk food during pregnancy could have a bigger impact on childhood obesity, liver disease and diabetes.