What to Eat During Pregnancy: 5 Ways to Make Your Diet Better
If you've just found out you're expecting, then you probably have lots of questions about what to eat during pregnancy.
Obviously, some substances (such as alcohol) must be eliminated from your diet completely over the next nine months.
Other substances (such as caffeine) can only be consumed on a limited basis.
But these are the most obvious adjustments you can make-what if you want to do more? In this article, we cover the top five ways you can improve your diet for pregnancy and give your baby the optimum nutrition he needs for proper development.
1.
Make the Switch to Organic Organic foods are the best choice for you, not just during pregnancy, but for the rest of your life.
So think of switching to organic as a lifestyle change, not merely a change for the next three trimesters.
Many women skip this step because they feel that organic foods are simply too expensive.
However, you can implement this change slowly, over time, and the pinch to your wallet won't be as shocking.
Start by buying all-natural meats and dairy, making sure they are hormone-free.
Then you can start adding organic fruits and veggies to your diet, concentrating on the "Dirty Dozen" of organic produce.
Over time, you will find that choosing organic is not only easy, but your budget will adjust as you accommodate these new purchases slowly.
2.
Seek Out Whole Foods Cutting back on processed foods is another great way to improve not only your health during pregnancy, but your entire lifestyle.
Processed foods are full of additives, preservatives, and fillers.
This makes these foods prime candidates for causing weight gain and you want to avoid gaining too much weight during pregnancy.
When possible, opt for whole, unprocessed foods, which are more filling and contain more of the nutrients that you and your baby need during pregnancy.
3.
Cut Back on Sodium Water retention is a common pregnancy ailment that can cause you a great deal of discomfort.
Water retention is primarily caused by the weight of your baby pressing down on your veins, which makes your blood circulation sluggish.
But consuming foods and beverages high in sodium can exacerbate this problem.
Sodium is a common additive to processed and fast foods, so cutting back on these food products will help.
You'll also want to cut back on cheeses, soft drinks, spices, condiments, and sauces.
4.
Eliminate Soy Soy is widely touted as a healthful food, and if you are vegetarian or vegan, chances are you consume soy on a regular basis.
However, studies show that soy has powerful, negative side effects that can cause health problems for people of all ages.
So eliminating soy from your diet should be considered a healthy lifestyle change, not merely a pregnancy diet plan.
However, special consideration should be given to removing soy from your diet during pregnancy, as studies show it can impair the development of your baby's sex organs.
5.
Cut Back on Sugars and Artificial Sweeteners Sugar and artificial sweeteners are so innocuous that many women don't think twice about consuming them in large quantities during pregnancy.
However, they both pose serious issues and should be eliminated from your pregnancy eating plan.
Sugar is the number one cause of weight gain both for mother and fetus during pregnancy, making an easy labor more difficult.
Artificial sweeteners are made of a variety of troubling chemicals that can cause serious and lasting health issues.
Both substances should be eliminated from your diet completely.
Instead, try all-natural alternatives, such as stevia, raw honey, xylitol, and agave syrup, which pose none of the health risks of sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Obviously, some substances (such as alcohol) must be eliminated from your diet completely over the next nine months.
Other substances (such as caffeine) can only be consumed on a limited basis.
But these are the most obvious adjustments you can make-what if you want to do more? In this article, we cover the top five ways you can improve your diet for pregnancy and give your baby the optimum nutrition he needs for proper development.
1.
Make the Switch to Organic Organic foods are the best choice for you, not just during pregnancy, but for the rest of your life.
So think of switching to organic as a lifestyle change, not merely a change for the next three trimesters.
Many women skip this step because they feel that organic foods are simply too expensive.
However, you can implement this change slowly, over time, and the pinch to your wallet won't be as shocking.
Start by buying all-natural meats and dairy, making sure they are hormone-free.
Then you can start adding organic fruits and veggies to your diet, concentrating on the "Dirty Dozen" of organic produce.
Over time, you will find that choosing organic is not only easy, but your budget will adjust as you accommodate these new purchases slowly.
2.
Seek Out Whole Foods Cutting back on processed foods is another great way to improve not only your health during pregnancy, but your entire lifestyle.
Processed foods are full of additives, preservatives, and fillers.
This makes these foods prime candidates for causing weight gain and you want to avoid gaining too much weight during pregnancy.
When possible, opt for whole, unprocessed foods, which are more filling and contain more of the nutrients that you and your baby need during pregnancy.
3.
Cut Back on Sodium Water retention is a common pregnancy ailment that can cause you a great deal of discomfort.
Water retention is primarily caused by the weight of your baby pressing down on your veins, which makes your blood circulation sluggish.
But consuming foods and beverages high in sodium can exacerbate this problem.
Sodium is a common additive to processed and fast foods, so cutting back on these food products will help.
You'll also want to cut back on cheeses, soft drinks, spices, condiments, and sauces.
4.
Eliminate Soy Soy is widely touted as a healthful food, and if you are vegetarian or vegan, chances are you consume soy on a regular basis.
However, studies show that soy has powerful, negative side effects that can cause health problems for people of all ages.
So eliminating soy from your diet should be considered a healthy lifestyle change, not merely a pregnancy diet plan.
However, special consideration should be given to removing soy from your diet during pregnancy, as studies show it can impair the development of your baby's sex organs.
5.
Cut Back on Sugars and Artificial Sweeteners Sugar and artificial sweeteners are so innocuous that many women don't think twice about consuming them in large quantities during pregnancy.
However, they both pose serious issues and should be eliminated from your pregnancy eating plan.
Sugar is the number one cause of weight gain both for mother and fetus during pregnancy, making an easy labor more difficult.
Artificial sweeteners are made of a variety of troubling chemicals that can cause serious and lasting health issues.
Both substances should be eliminated from your diet completely.
Instead, try all-natural alternatives, such as stevia, raw honey, xylitol, and agave syrup, which pose none of the health risks of sugar or artificial sweeteners.
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