How and what should I eat during pregnancy?

At the very beginning of pregnancy, in the first 8-9 weeks, there is a significant restructuring and acceleration of all metabolic processes in the body of a woman. Many people have a relatively constant feeling of hunger. The feeling of hunger appears in any person and it signals that the level of glucose in the body has decreased to a critical level. Consequently, the body lacks nutrients and needs to eat urgently. But here there is a little snag! There is need a little, and that is really necessary. And you do not need to go to extremes - there is for yourself and for the child. Excessively abundant food does not contribute to improving the well-being of a woman.

Rational nutrition of pregnant women should be based on the timing of pregnancy, the nature of work and the degree of physical development of women. In the first half of pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, food should not be different from usual, but it should be sufficient and full. Later needs increase. All vital processes in the body require a constant inflow of energy. Just as a car does not move without gasoline, so a person can not live without a certain set of nutrients.

[1], [2]

Carbohydrates and pregnancy

The main sources of energy are carbohydrates. They are the most easily digested substances and play a very important role not only in the energy supply of the organism, but also participate in the formation of certain structures in the human body. In pregnant women, the need for carbohydrates is very significant. Carbohydrates in its pure form is glucose. But there is only sugar, of course, you can not. Therefore, as a source of carbohydrates, you need to eat foods from wholemeal, fruits and vegetables. It is necessary to avoid confectionery products that give a short-time saturation effect, and excess glucose is then converted into subcutaneous fat. Preference should be given to cereals (especially buckwheat and oatmeal), which contain proteins and various carbohydrates - and easily digestible (glucose) and more complex (starch, fiber), as well as various trace elements, which we will talk about a little later.

Berries and fruits are simply irreplaceable as food for a pregnant woman (and not only for a pregnant woman - they are useful to everyone without exception). They contain carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and microelements (and some manage to get a small "portion" of protein in the form of a worm eaten).

Vegetables are somewhat inferior to fruit in terms of the amount of carbohydrates, but they are richer in minerals, fiber and contain the same amount of vitamins. A special place in the diet is occupied by products from potatoes. The fact is that it differs from other vegetables with the largest content of starch and potassium, not to mention the vitamins and other substances contained in it. And starch is slowly digested in the body and, thus, energy comes to the child constantly, and not in separate portions, as from the eaten chocolate or cake.

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Fat and Pregnancy

The necessary substance for normal life is the fat. But this does not mean that you need to run to the market and buy bacon! The most favorable combination in the diet is the predominance of vegetable fats. But also animal fats need to leave a place in their diet. Thus, milk fat and egg yolk fat are a good source of fat-soluble vitamins A and D. Vegetable fats are sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids used for constructing cell walls. Vegetable fats also contain vitamin E.

In addition, fats, like carbohydrates, are a source of energy. As a result of their disintegration, water and carbon dioxide are released, and hormones are formed from the remains, including sex. This is why overly thin women may experience irregular menstrual cycles and even infertility. But "busting" in the consumption of fat should not be, because it starts, like carbohydrates, deposited under the skin and in the organs, leading to obesity. And obesity, as you know, does not add special health.

By the way, about fats: sunflower and olive oil not only increase the energy and taste value of food, but also help prevent constipation.

[6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11]

Proteins and Pregnancy

Proteins are the main building material, especially for the growing body within you. Proteins, hitting the gastrointestinal tract, split up into amino acids. And already the amino acids are carried throughout the body. Including they get to the fetus and, thanks to special enzymes, they combine again into proteins. But now it is already a protein, from which the future child's body is built. The main value of proteins of animal origin (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk) is that they contain all the necessary and essential amino acids. Irreplaceable amino acids - 10, they are not synthesized in the human body, but fall into it only with food. Without them, you can not do, so they are irreplaceable.

Proteins in the body of a woman do not accumulate in the same way as fats or carbohydrates. Therefore, the pregnant woman should receive a sufficient number of them. If the protein is not enough, the rate of fetal tissue construction may slow down, that is, retard the development of the fetus. In addition, a lack of protein can reduce the immunity of a pregnant woman, and she will be more prone to colds.

In addition to protein, dairy products are the most important source of calcium, which is so necessary for building fetal bones. In addition, milk and dairy products contain certain vitamins.

Proteins of vegetable origin (bakery products, pasta, cereals, legumes), although inferior in nutritional value to proteins of animal origin, but contain other, no less important components, so you can not ignore these products in any case. The most optimal is the combination in the diet of 60% proteins of animal origin and 40% - vegetable. Anticipating the question of the benefits or dangers of vegetarianism, I will answer: during pregnancy it is better to become "carnivorous" than to give birth to an underdeveloped child.

Prenatal vitamins

Now let's talk about vitamins. Vitamins are biologically active substances of various chemical nature necessary for the realization of important physiological and biochemical processes in the human body. The fact is that all these processes occur as a result of the action of various enzymes. And the latter can not work without vitamins. If vitamins are not enough, these processes will slow down or stop altogether. Then we are talking about the hypo- or vitamin deficiency of a particular vitamin. The table below describes the effect of vitamins and foods in which they are contained in the maximum amount.

Since a new organism grows in the body of a pregnant woman, she needs to get more vitamins than usual. And it is better to eat fresh vegetables and fruits. So you "kill" several "rabbits" at once: first, you never overdose vitamins (and hypervitaminosis is no better than hypovitaminosis); Secondly, together with vitamins, you get many other useful substances - mineral salts, trace elements, fiber and carbohydrates; Thirdly, fresh vegetables and fruits contain much more vitamins than they, but subjected to heat treatment (jams, borscht, soups, etc.).

Well, if we are talking about vitamins, we can not ignore the synthetic, that is, tableted vitamins. To date, there are a lot of such complex vitamins, and it will be quite difficult to understand them without special knowledge in them. Therefore, before buying this or that complex preparation, consult your doctor, since the dosage of each of the constituents of its vitamins depends on the period of pregnancy and your state of health and condition.

Synthetic vitamins should be taken in strictly defined quantities, and uncontrolled use of them can lead to an overdose. Thus, hypervitaminosis D can lead to kidney damage, deposition of calcium salts in the placenta, which will worsen utero-placental blood circulation and, accordingly, fetal nutrition. Hypervitaminosis A causes nausea and vomiting and can lead to the development of heart defects in the fetus. Hypervitaminosis C disrupts blood composition and increases the burden on the kidneys, especially at the end of pregnancy.

Minerals and Pregnancy

Of the mineral salts, the most famous is sodium chloride and common salt.

Sodium is found in many products of plant and animal origin, but the main product with which it enters the body is table salt. A day a person eats 1-2 teaspoons of salt, which contains 2-4 g of sodium. It is noticed that people prone to hypertension, eat more salt.

Potassium is the main intracellular ion of the body. It is found in large quantities in dried fruits (raisins, dried apricots, prunes), in vegetables, potatoes.

Chlorine - is involved in water-salt metabolism and, along with sodium, is contained in table salt.

Phosphorus is a necessary material for bone tissue, it is also part of the adenosine triphosphate acid necessary for energy production. The greatest amount of phosphorus is found in fish, as well as in meat and milk.

Magnesium - an element that activates the processes of hydrolysis, promotes the accumulation and release of energy, reduces the increased excitability of the nervous system. They are rich in various dark green vegetables, watermelons, some cereals, persimmons, dried apricots.

Calcium is the main element from which the human bones consist. Without it, muscle contraction is impossible. It is also one of the factors of blood clotting. With a lack of calcium, people have convulsions. Lack of calcium in the diet of a pregnant woman will not only lead to a violation of the formation of fetal bone tissue, but also cause increased leaching of calcium from the bones of a pregnant woman. That's why many pregnant women "fly" teeth during pregnancy, and the bones become more brittle.

Iron is the element that most directly participates in hematopoiesis. Red blood cells - erythrocytes - consist of a shell, inside of which is hemoglobin. Hemoglobin consists of the mineral part - heme and protein - globin. So heme is, in fact, four atoms of iron. If the pregnant woman does not receive enough iron, then iron deficiency anemia is formed. But not only her, but also her future child. Iron is found in apples, spinach, tomatoes and some other vegetables and fruits, as well as in the liver and kidneys.

If you carefully read this section, then, I hope, it is clear from which foods your diet should consist. If you still have additional questions, it is better to ask them your doctor, who will make the necessary diet, taking into account the characteristics of your body and the nature of the course of your pregnancy.