I am expecting a baby and therefore I eat for two. Nothing more wrong. Just having a baby in your tummy doesn't mean your daily energy intake needs to increase; rather, the need for some nutrients grows, and it is this need that must be met. So what are the prerequisites for following a correct diet during pregnancy? The document of the Interdepartmental Center for Research and Documentation on Food Safety (Ceirsa) explains it:
- follow a diet as varied as possible, divided into 4 or 5 daily meals, made up of fresh and seasonal foods, to ensure a high content of vitamins and minerals;
- avoid, or reduce as much as possible, the consumption of large predatory fish, to limit exposure to heavy metals, such as mercury. Better fish such as sole, cod, hake, trout, red snapper and sea bream;
- drink at least two liters of water a day;
- avoid the consumption of alcohol and limit that of tea and coffee, preferring decaffeinated and decaffeinated;
- pay particular attention to the microbiological safety of food. In fact, some foods can be a vehicle for pathogenic bacteria, such as Salmonella (eggs) or Listeria monocytogenes (cheese with crusts and moulds), and parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii (ready-made salads, raw meat, some sausages), the cause of foodborne infections or pathologies of the fetus.
Month after month The first three months are the most difficult, often characterized by nausea, loss of appetite, intolerance, especially towards meat. In reality, it is precisely in this period that particular attention should be paid to the protein, vitamin and saline intake, without increasing the overall caloric quota; therefore choose proteins with a high biological value, in other words those coming from meat, fish, eggs and cheeses, given that vegetable proteins (contained in pasta, bread, legumes) are not sufficient to cover the need for essential amino acids.
Experts suggest replacing the unwelcome food with others of equal nutritional value. For example, if meat is not tolerated, fish, eggs and dairy products can be included. Another source of imbalance are hunger attacks, which lead to an exaggerated consumption of foods rich in carbohydrates (bread, pasta, sweets), which also causes significant weight gain. In the following months, the protein requirement gradually increases, from 1 gram to 1.5/2 grams per day per kilo of body weight. In fact, proteins are essential for the construction of tissues. Calcium and phosphorus salts (contained in milk, dairy products and eggs) are also necessary for the formation of the skeleton, while iron (contained in the liver of animals, legumes, egg yolks and dried fruit) is necessary for the formation of red blood cells. At the same time, the need for vitamins increases: we find them in raw fruit and vegetables, as well as in whole grains and in unrefined products. The lipid quota, i.e. fats, does not undergo particular variations but is still necessary because it favors the absorption of some vitamins. Finally, carbohydrates are generally the ones most appreciated by the expectant mother, but they are also mainly responsible for excessive weight gain. Preference should be given to starches (bread, pasta, potatoes, cereals, legumes) rather than simple sugars (sugar, sweets). Wholemeal bread and rice have a greater quantity of mineral salts and vitamins, useful for combating constipation, frequent during pregnancy.
Taken from Born Mom | by Lucia Modici
