Varied and balanced diet during pregnancy is very important for the health of both mother and child growth and development. Expectant mother must daily consume about 300 calories more than before pregnancy. Although nausea Nausea - there may be problems with the nervous system   and vomiting during the first few months of pregnancy can hamper a balanced diet, try to include in the diet of all the necessary vitamins, minerals and trace elements.

The needs of pregnant women in nutrients

Include a variety of foods in the diet to provide the body with all the necessary nutrients. The recommended daily ration comprises: 6-11 servings of whole-wheat bread, 2-4 servings of fruit, four or more servings of vegetables, four servings of dairy products, and three servings of protein sources (meat, poultry, fish, eggs or nuts). The consumption of fats and sweets should be limited.

• Choose foods high in fiber and vitamins: grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables.
• During pregnancy, particularly important to consume the necessary amounts of vitamins and minerals. Since the diet may not always provide the body with these vitamins, it is recommended to take a daily prenatal vitamin complex.
• Eat at least four servings of dairy products rich in calcium a day. The body of a pregnant woman should receive 1000-1300 mg of calcium every day.
• Every day, consume at least three servings of foods high in iron. The recommended daily intake for pregnant women iron - 27 mg.
• Be sure to include in the daily diet at least one source of vitamin C: oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, nectarines, papaya, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, green peppers or tomatoes. Pregnant women need 70 mg of vitamin C per day.
• Include in your daily diet for at least one source of folic acid, dark green leafy vegetables, veal, beans (black beans, kidney beans, black-eyed peas and chickpeas). Pregnant women should be not less than 0, 4 mg of folic acid daily to prevent neural tube defects in the baby, such as congenital spinal hernia.
• Include in your daily diet at least one source of vitamin A Vitamin A: An important element of the health and beauty Carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, spinach, squash, turnip greens, beet greens, apricots and melon. But note: the excessive intake of vitamin A (& gt; 10 000 IU / day) may cause congenital malformations in the fetus.

Products that are better excluded from the diet

• Refrain from drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol increases the risk of premature birth, birth defects, and low birth-weight.
• Limit your caffeine intake to 300 mg per day. The caffeine content in various drinks depends on the type of grains used or leaves, and the method of their preparation. For example, one cup of coffee contains 150 mg of caffeine, while black tea typically contains about 80 mg. Large glass of sweet drinks contain about 30-60 mg of caffeine. Remember that chocolate also contains caffeine, about 1/4 of the caffeine content in a cup of coffee.
• During pregnancy, it is strongly recommended not to consume saccharin, since it can penetrate the placenta into the fetal tissue. Saccharin can be replaced by other artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame (NutraSweet), acesulfame-K (Sunett) and sucralose (Splenda). These sugar substitutes are considered safe in moderate amounts.
• Reduce your intake of fat to 30% or less of the total daily calories consumed. If the day you get 2000 calories, fat intake should be 65 grams limit.
• Limit cholesterol of 300 mg or less per day.
• Exclude from the diet of some species of fish: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, white perch, as they contain large amounts of mercury.
• Exclude from the diet soft cheeses: feta, Brie, Camembert, blue cheese and spicy. These cheeses are usually pasteurized and their consumption can cause listeriosis. There is no need to abandon the hard cheese, processed cheese or butter, cottage cheese, yogurt and other dairy products.
• Exclude from the raw fish and shellfish, such as oysters.

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Pregnant women suffer from toxicity, diarrhea or constipation Constipation - Watch out for food . Food is hard to keep in the stomach, and sometimes do not have an appetite, and force yourself to something very hard to swallow. Here are a few tips on how to eat with the typical manifestations of pregnancy:

• Toxemia (morning sickness): immediately after waking up, eat saltine crackers or cereal. During the day, eat small, frequent meals. Avoid fatty and fried foods.
• Constipation: Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, drink 6 - 8 glasses of water a day.
• Diarrhea: eat more foods containing pectin - it will absorb excess water. Pectin include: applesauce, bananas Bananas: the benefits and harms health , White rice, white bread and oatmeal.
• Heartburn: Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day, try to drink milk before eating, and limit your intake of foods and beverages containing caffeine.

Among the people who have to struggle with excess weight, carbohydrates have a bad reputation. They are believed to lead to weight gain and the emergence of various related health problems. However, the problem is not with them, and abusing them - if you consume them in moderation, extra kilos will not. How many carbohydrates you need per day to maintain a balance in the body.

It must be borne in mind that not all are equally useful carbohydrates - some of which are more dangerous for the figure, than others. Whatever it was, it can not be entirely without carbohydrates - they are the main source of energy for the body.

How many carbohydrates is necessary to man the day

According to the recommendations of nutritionists, one should get from carbohydrates by 45% to 65% of total calories. Thus, if your daily rate is 2000 kcal calories, carbohydrates should fall from 900 to 1200 kcal, and this - about 225-325 grams of carbohydrates.

To calculate the daily rate of consumption of carbohydrates can also increase a person's weight to 4.62 of this formula, the weight of a person, for example, a 60 kg need a little more than 277 grams of carbohydrates a day. The need for carbohydrates may increase during intense physical activity - it is necessary to take into account when planning your diet.

What are carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are not essential substances for the body - so, by the way, low-carbohydrate diets have been successfully used for weight loss and do not harm health: at least, if they do not comply with for too long. Irreplaceable are those substances which correspond to two criteria:

• They are necessary for survival;
• The body can not make them yourself.

The second criterion does not apply to carbohydrates: if necessary, the body can develop many carbohydrates (to be exact - glucose, which belongs to the group of substances), as necessary for the normal functioning of the brain and other vital organs. Of course, this is only possible if it has this certain resources - proteins and fats derived from food, or at full starvation, subcutaneous fat and muscle tissue. In short, the body may be a time to go without carbohydrates, but it is better not to expose him to such tests. This food group - the most important "fuel" of the body: the energy produced from carbohydrates easier and quicker total. Once in the body, carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars. They enter the bloodstream, and then using insulin The principles of action of insulin - the science of saving lives   enter the cells of various organs and tissues.

Carbohydrates are necessary for normal operation of the central nervous system, kidneys, muscles. Some types of carbohydrates, such as cellulose, may protect against disorders such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Carbohydrates useful and not very

There are three main types of carbohydrates:

• Sugar - the simplest form of carbohydrates, which include fructose, sucrose and lactose. They are found in fruits, vegetables, milk and various milk products;
• Starch - complex carbohydrate source is vegetables, grains and beans;
• Fiber - is also a complex carbohydrate contained in a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts.

Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly and dramatically increase the level of sugar in the blood Blood sugar Blood sugar - a very important indicator   - One of the main indicators of human health . Their body uses for energy in the first place, and they are indispensable, for example, to heavy physical exertion. However, soon the blood sugar level drops, and quickly get the feeling of hunger. If the abuse of products containing large amounts of simple carbohydrates may develop insulin resistance, diabetes and other dangerous disorders. Complex carbohydrates are digested slowly and raise blood sugar gradually; they are sometimes also called useful carbohydrates.

In order to eat properly, you need to not just consume enough carbohydrates, but also to choose, mainly, useful carbohydrates:

• Vegetables and fruits. Nutritionists advise every day to eat at least five portions of fresh fruit and vegetables. They contain a lot of fiber, fluids, vitamins and minerals, and are among the most valuable products in terms of the ratio of the concentration of calories and nutrients;
• Whole grains, besides cellulose and starch, contain the essential nutrients, such as selenium, potassium and magnesium. The processing of many crops, such as rice, from the category of foods rich in complex carbohydrates, pass into the category includes products comprising mainly simple carbohydrates. Therefore it is better to choose foods that have been minimally processed - brown rice, whole wheat flour, and so on;
• Legumes also contain many useful carbohydrates (including - soluble and insoluble fiber); with them and many small fat substances such as folic acid Folic acid - the value is hard to overestimate , Potassium, iron and magnesium.

Some sources of carbohydrates, on the other hand, it is better excluded from the diet or reduce their consumption to a minimum. These include, first of all, table sugar, and various types of products in which it is added in large quantities. Sugar itself harmless in small amounts, but it is practically no nutrients, therefore, as well as other foods containing empty calories, it is necessary to use as little as possible.