A guide to eating healthy during pregnancy in order to avoid health related problems for a pregnant women and their baby.

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One of the most pressing issues for pregnant women today is diet and nutrition. With the
availability of preprocessed foods and fast-food restaurants, it’s easy to unconsciously do harm to
oneself by making poor food choices. For more information and tips click here:
http://www.diet-for-pregnant-women.com/
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Pregnancy in general is an uncomplicated process and results in the birth of a normal and healthy
baby if the pregnant women take proper and healthy diet. During the pregnancy period, the
woman needs extra calories and nutrients to support the growth of her child. Therefore, it is
important to know what a healthy pregnancy diet is and what should it contain.
Proper and healthy pregnancy diet is essential and important since it will help the pregnant woman
gain the required amount of weight. The amount of weight gain required to ensure proper growth
of the baby generally depends on the pregnant woman's weight before her pregnancy. A healthy
diet during pregnancy will also reduced the possibility of birth defects, low birth weight, and many
other problems in the newborn baby.
The amount of calories and nutrients required by a pregnant woman depend on her daily activity
schedule and her weight before pregnancy. Generally a pregnant woman gains around 8-12 KGs
if she is taking a healthy and adequate pregnancy diet, which is full of minerals and vitamins.
The calorie and nutrient requirements of a pregnant woman are also determined by the stage of
her pregnancy. Generally, the calorie requirements during the first trimester of a pregnancy are
normal and a pregnant woman does not need to take additional calories and minerals. However,
she needs to ensure that whatever diet she is taking is healthy and adequate to fulfill her body
requirements. It is in the second and the third trimesters of her pregnancy that a woman needs to
take additional calories and nutrients, since it is during this time when the baby's real growth takes
place.
Apart from taking a healthy diet, a pregnant woman needs to avoid certain foods that can harm her
or her baby's health. Consumption of alcohol, caffeine, and foods containing high amounts of
mercury should be avoided during pregnancy to ensure its smooth passage. Raw, undercooked,
and un-pasteurized food items should also be avoided.
Since Fruits and Vegetables are the best source of vitamins, proteins and minerals, a pregnant
woman should have adequate amount of these items to ensure the smooth passage of her
pregnancy and the delivery of a healthy baby. Dairy products have high amount of calcium and
constitute a very important item in a nutritious pregnancy diet.
Consumption of adequate amount of water is also essential for a pregnant woman. Again,
adequate amount of folic acid, iron, and calcium is important for the growth of the baby. A
pregnant woman generally needs to take some iron or calcium supplements to ensure the proper
growth of her baby. A doctor generally recommends consumption of natural sources of iron and

2. calcium. However, some supplements are also recommended as part of a pregnancy diet to
ensure that there is no shortfall.
Another important point that needs to be noted is that a pregnant woman's diet comprises of fresh
cooked and hygienic food items. Therefore, a healthy pregnancy diet can play an important role in
delivering a healthy baby.
Pregnancy is a special period for all women and they all want to enjoy a healthy pregnancy. Diet
and nutrition are very important components to maintain good pregnancy health. Seek advice from
your doctor about adequate pregnancy diet and follow it in all stages of pregnancy. To read more
about pregnancy planning, pregnancy trimesters and almost everything related to this golden and
most cherished period of your life visit pregnancy.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Asheesh_Mani
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One of the most pressing issues for pregnant women today is diet and nutrition. With the
availability of preprocessed foods and fast-food restaurants, it’s easy to unconsciously do harm to
oneself by making poor food choices. For more information and tips click here:
http://www.diet-for-pregnant-women.com/
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