Food Guidelines for Pregnant Women
Being pregnant is an unforgettable experience. It's an exciting time in a woman's life. Changes occur each day. Hormone levels increase. Your body and attitude change. It's a time filled with new things. In fact, given all these changes, the topic of what's permissible to eat and what's not becomes a significant question that most pregnant women find themselves grappling with.
Food, both during and after pregnancy, is a big issue. What one does eat affects the child inside, after all. The information that surrounds food and pregnancy can be pretty fuzzy. The good news is, however, generally, what you can and can eat stays the same, except for some notable exceptions.
Most nutritionists suggest that pregnant women beware of certain foods, while completely steering clear of others. A lot of this is general knowledge, but when you delve into the exact details, the fine print as it were, it can get rather confusing. It becomes difficult to decipher what's actually bad for you.
Things only get worse once family and friends chime in; eager to offer their own experience and their own anecdotes, they tend to offer less insight and more gossip than any good factual information. Even the stranger in the bus sitting next to you, or the clerk at the grocery store will chime in and offer their own bits of wisdom which can be all the more disconcerting. Facts get mixed up with stories and anecdotal evidence.
Nor does it help that every day a new article seems to come out suggesting that such and such a food is dangerous or that alternatively, it's actually not so dangerous and that it does have some good effect. One day your favorite food is on the dangerous to eat list, and the next day it's not. All this information ends up boggling the mind.
When all is said and done, all this information flying around is hard to wrap your head around. Rather than giving you answers, you just have a headache.
However, despite all the hullaballoo, when it comes down to what you should and shouldn't eat when you're with child, there are some simple basics you should keep in mind. Think smart, eat smart. Don't go overboard. Stick to a healthy diet.
According to the experts, when pregnant, you don't actually have to alter your diet drastically. In fact they offer guidelines which are in line with what you should eat when you're not pregnant, with a few alterations, of course.
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, remember to wash before you eat. This goes for items with rinds and skins too; avocado and melons, for instance are known to contain bacteria that can be transferred from the skin when cutting into them.
Cook food so that it is well done; this is especially true for poultry and other meats. Don't risk getting food poisoning.
Wash your hands before and after handling meat products.
Try not to eat junk food all the time. It's better to eat high fat food in moderation, despite the odd cravings.
Be wary of seafood. Certain fatty fish like shark and tile-fish contain dangerous amounts of mercury.
Women should stick to shell fish, canned fish and smaller ocean fish.
The consumption of alcohol should be avoided.
Food, both during and after pregnancy, is a big issue. What one does eat affects the child inside, after all. The information that surrounds food and pregnancy can be pretty fuzzy. The good news is, however, generally, what you can and can eat stays the same, except for some notable exceptions.
Most nutritionists suggest that pregnant women beware of certain foods, while completely steering clear of others. A lot of this is general knowledge, but when you delve into the exact details, the fine print as it were, it can get rather confusing. It becomes difficult to decipher what's actually bad for you.
Things only get worse once family and friends chime in; eager to offer their own experience and their own anecdotes, they tend to offer less insight and more gossip than any good factual information. Even the stranger in the bus sitting next to you, or the clerk at the grocery store will chime in and offer their own bits of wisdom which can be all the more disconcerting. Facts get mixed up with stories and anecdotal evidence.
Nor does it help that every day a new article seems to come out suggesting that such and such a food is dangerous or that alternatively, it's actually not so dangerous and that it does have some good effect. One day your favorite food is on the dangerous to eat list, and the next day it's not. All this information ends up boggling the mind.
When all is said and done, all this information flying around is hard to wrap your head around. Rather than giving you answers, you just have a headache.
However, despite all the hullaballoo, when it comes down to what you should and shouldn't eat when you're with child, there are some simple basics you should keep in mind. Think smart, eat smart. Don't go overboard. Stick to a healthy diet.
According to the experts, when pregnant, you don't actually have to alter your diet drastically. In fact they offer guidelines which are in line with what you should eat when you're not pregnant, with a few alterations, of course.
When it comes to fruits and vegetables, remember to wash before you eat. This goes for items with rinds and skins too; avocado and melons, for instance are known to contain bacteria that can be transferred from the skin when cutting into them.
Cook food so that it is well done; this is especially true for poultry and other meats. Don't risk getting food poisoning.
Wash your hands before and after handling meat products.
Try not to eat junk food all the time. It's better to eat high fat food in moderation, despite the odd cravings.
Be wary of seafood. Certain fatty fish like shark and tile-fish contain dangerous amounts of mercury.
Women should stick to shell fish, canned fish and smaller ocean fish.
The consumption of alcohol should be avoided.
About the Author:
Jayde Johannsen, recently a mom again is well versed with nutrition while pregnant. She also loves women's shoes and has written on women's shoes boots.