Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Healthy Foods For Pregnant Women

Pregnant women need increased vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to ensure a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. A balanced diet incorporating a variety of foods from five basic food groups helps expecting mothers get all the nutritional value they require. There are a variety of healthy foods a pregnant woman should eat that contain vital nutrients.

Orange Juice

Orange juice is a food that all pregnant women should consider adding to the daily diet. This juice contains high levels of vitamin C, which is necessary for bone growth and repair, tissue repair, wound healing and healthy skin. The vitamin also helps the body produce collagen, a component of tendons, bones, cartilage and skin. Proponents report that deficient levels of vitamin C in newborns may cause impaired mental development.

Yogurt

Another healthy food pregnant women should eat is yogurt. Women need abundant amounts of protein and calcium during their pregnancies and yogurt contains high levels of each of these nutrients. The March of Dimes recommends that pregnant women consume 1,000mg per day of calcium. Yogurt has more calcium than milk, although the level of calcium fluctuates from brand to brand.



Dietitian Kate Geagan notes that calcium in the body goes to the developing fetus first, so if a pregnant woman eats insufficient amounts of calcium, she may suffer calcium depletion of her bones and teeth. Protein needs increase to 70g per day. Yogurt provides high levels of protein, and some Geek yogurts offer more protein than regular yogurts. In addition to protein and calcium, yogurt contain active cultures that decrease the risk of yeast infections, a common problem during pregnancy.

Broccoli

Broccoli, a healthy vegetable high in vitamin C and calcium, should find a place in a pregnant woman's diet. One cup of broccoli provides 205.7 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C and approximately seven percent of the recommended daily intake of calcium. Broccoli offers high levels of vitamin B6 and folate as well.






Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/273343-healthy-foods-that-pregnant-women-should-eat/#ixzz16s7F0yh0

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