1. Bread, cereals, pasta, rice and potato group - aim to eat 6-11 portions per day
What counts as one portion?
1 large slice of bread (about 30-40 g)
3 small crackers or sooshka
1/2 cup cooked pasta (macaroni, spaghetti etc.)
1/2 cup cooked cereal (rice, buckwheat or oatmeal)
3/4 cup (about 30g) ready-to eat dry cereal
1 medium potato (100g)
Foods from this group provide you with your main source of energy. They
also contain many other important nutrients, such as calcium, iron, zinc and
B vitamins. Potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C.
Unrefined cereals and wholemeal bread are good sources of fiber
which prevents constipation which you may experience more of
during pregnancy.
Some breakfast cereals may be fortified with vitamins such as folic
acid - check the label.
Try to eat a variety of foods from this group, including wholemeal and
rye breads, macaroni, spaghetti, rice, buckwheat, oatmeal or your
traditional cereal and potatoes.
2. Vegetables and fruits group - aim to eat at least 5 portions per
day (more than 400g)
What counts as one portion?
1/2 cup (about 100 g) of vegetables (for example:
carrots, onions, beets, leeks, turnip etc. – including
that eaten in soups and stews)
1 cup of green leafy vegetables (cabbage, lettuce,
spinach, broccoli, etc.)
1 medium tomato
1/2 cup of sprouted beans
1 medium piece of fruit (1 apple or 1 pear or 2 small
plums)
1/2 cup (about 100 g) of fresh, preserved, or cooked
berries
160 ml fruit or vegetable juice (pure 100% juice - try
fresh carrot and orange squeezed and mixed)
Vegetables and fruits provide the best source of many vitamins and
minerals, including folate and iron, which are important to prevent you
becoming anaemic during pregnancy. Remember, vitamins such as
vitamin C are needed both by you and your baby and cannot be stored
in your body. Thus, it is important to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits
every day, especially those that are locally grown.
Each of the following will give you enough vitamin C every day:
1 large pepper or 3 medium potatoes or 160 g of cabbage.
In addition vegetables contain many protective components which help
keep us healthy: fibre, flavonoids and many more substances which we
have not even discovered yet! This is one reason why vitamin and
mineral tablets cannot replace the vegetables we eat.
Fresh vegetables and fruits may sometimes be difficult to find. Out of
season, when fresh produce may not be available, don’t forget about
frozen, home-preserved, tinned, pic kled and dried varieties - they also
contain essential nutrients. You might like to try “sprouting” beans
when no other sources of vitamin C are available.
The following fresh weight of sprouted beans will provide 10 mg
vitamin C:
Black-eyed beans 50 g
Fenugreek, Mung beans, green lentils 70 g
Haricot, Alfalfa 90 g
Remember, that vitamin C is lost during storage and preparation.
Therefore it is important to cook vegetables in a minimum amount of
boiling water for only 5 to 10 minutes. Try steaming, baking or
microwaving instead of boiling. Try to eat raw fresh or lightly cooked
vegetables every day and try not to add excess fats, oils and salt.
3. Milk and dairy products group - aim to eat 3 portions a day
What counts as one portion?
1 cup (about 200 ml) of yogurt/kefir
45 g of hard cheese (the size of matchbox)
1,5 cup (about 250 g) of cottage cheese
1 glass (300 ml) of milk
Dairy products are one of the richest sources of calcium in your diet.
Calcium is essential for the development of healthy bones and teeth of
your baby; in lactation it is important for the formation of your own
breast milk. However if you do not eat calcium containing foods your baby will not suffer since calcium will be taken from your body stores.
But for your own health it is important that you replace your stores of
calcium.
Dairy products are also a good source of protein and other minerals
and vitamins, such as some B vitamins, vitamin A and sometimes
iodine depending on whether or not the cows are fed iodine fortified
fodder.
Contrary to the beliefs of some people, creamy, high-fat milk and dairy
products are not healthier than low-fat alternatives. Where possible
choose low-fat milk, kefir and low-fat milk products - they contain
more calcium and protein and have a lower fat content, so are good for
all of the family.
Remember, that neither butter (made from the cream of milk) nor
cream contribute calcium or protein to your diet, only fat.
4. Fish, poultry, meat and bean group - aim to eat 2 portions a
day
What counts as one portion?
1 cup (about 150-200 g) of cooked beans
2 eggs
70-80 g of cooked lean fish, poultry or meat
This group includes beans and lentils, fish, meat, poultry, eggs and nuts,
which are all rich in protein. Try to eat a wide variety, especially beans,
lentils, nuts and fish, these are especially healthy for you and your family.
Meat, especially organ meats (such as liver and kidney), provide some of
the best sources of iron. Iron from meat is absorbed better than iron from
plant sources. However, liver should be taken in moderation to avoid
excess intake of vitamin A.
Choose lean varieties of meat or cut the fat off when possible, think
about limiting the amount of smoked and salt-cured sausages if you eat
these often because it is better not to eat too much salt and fat.
5. Lard, butter, margarine, oils, sugar, sweets and salt group - use
sparingly
This group includes butter, margarine, oils, lard, sugars, candies, sweet
desserts, pastry, sweetened drinks: in other words foods that have a
high fat, salt and/or sugar content.
These foods are dense in calories but provide little in the way of other
nutrients. Therefore it is better not to indulge in these products at the
expense of more nutritious foods from the other food groups.
Try to use oils (such as olive, canola or rapeseed oil) instead of animal
fats as much as possible, but if this is not possible then just try to
reduce the total amount of fat you eat.
Remember, eating a diet low in fat and, especially low in animal fat,
reduces your and your family’s risk of getting certain cancers and
cardiovascular disease - the two major “killers” of the population in
Europe .
Consume salt in moderation (up to 6 g per day in total): try to use less
salt at the table and in cooking, eat less salty or pickled foods. This will
decrease your risk of high blood pressure and related health problems.
Try whenever possible to get salt which is iodized to ensure that you
and especially your baby get enough iodine during pregnancy and
breastfeeding.
No comments:
Post a Comment