ASDA Health Matters

Food for pregnant women

You should eat enough protein, carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables, and drink plenty of fluid. Below are portions per day you should try and eat from each food group:

Protein: 1 portion of protein (50-75g) is required for the growth of your baby as it builds new tissue for bones, muscles and organs. Most women consume more protein than this on a daily basis and so it is unlikely that women shall need to increase their usual intake during pregnancy.
Good sources: Chicken, lean red meat, fish, nuts, pulses

Dairy: 1-2 portions of dairy products (1 portion is approximately 200ml of milk or 30g of cheese) - provide calcium and vitamin D essential for strong bones and teeth.
Good sources: Milk, cheese and yoghurt. Good vegan sources include green leafy veg (not spinach), soya beans, tofu, soya drinks with added calcium, bread and other fortified products

Starchy foods: Starchy foods should make up the bulk of your main meal every day - packed with energy and provide fibre and protein.
Good sources: Wholegrain bread, wholemeal pasta, wholegrain rice, potatoes and wholegrain cereals

Fruit and veg: At least 5 portions of fruit and veg - provides essential vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Good sources: Eat a mix of different coloured fruit and veg - every colour has different nutrients key to your baby's development

Fluid: 2 litres of fluid - to keep you hydrated and help avoid constipation, a common complaint during pregnancy.
Good sources: Plain water and fruit juice

Foods to love when pregnant

The following foods are packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients. If you can eat a few of these each day you'll be doing really well:

• Bananas, oranges and other fresh fruit

• Dried apricots and prunes

• Broccoli and other green vegetables

• Salmon and other oily fish

• Nuts and seeds (visit the Food Standards Agency for updated advice on eating peanuts during pregnancy)

• Wholemeal bread

• Chicken and turkey

• Breakfast cereals

• Pulses and lentils

• Lean red meat

• Brown rice

• Yoghurt

Foods to avoid during pregnancy

There are also certain foods you should avoid when pregnant - here is a quick list for more information and the reasons for avoiding these foods visit www.tommys.org.

• High levels of vitamin A - such as in non-pregnancy multi-vitamins, liver and liver products (i.e. fish liver oils).

• Unpasteurised soft cheeses with a mould rind - such as Brie and Camembert.

• Blue veined cheeses - such as Stilton.

• Pâté - avoid all types of pâté - not just liver pâté.

• Raw or undercooked eggs - both the egg white and yolk should be cooked until solid.

• Raw or undercooked meat or cured meats - meat should be thoroughly cooked until there is no remaining pink or bloody meat. This is especially important with poultry and products made from minced meat such as sausages and burgers.

• Shark, swordfish and marlin - should be totally avoided.

• Tuna - should be limited to no more than two steaks (weighing approx. 140-170g) or four small cans (drained weight of 140g) per week.

• Oily fish - should be limited to two portions a week.

• Shellfish - if it is uncooked should be avoided.

• Sugary or fatty foods - limit foods such as fast food, fizzy drinks, sweets, biscuits and cakes.

• Caffeine - should be limited to no more than 200mg a day (roughly two mugs of instant coffee, two mugs of tea or five cans of cola). Remember if you mix and match it all adds up.

Eating for two - it's a myth!

Unfortunately, eating for two when you're pregnant is just a myth. In fact, your daily calorie intake should probably increase by around 200kcals a day, but only in the third trimester. Quality, rather than quantity, is the golden rule!

To help you avoid putting on too much weight during pregnancy it's a good idea to cut down on foods high in fat and sugar, such as cakes and biscuits.

When hunger strikes, try these healthy snacks instead:

• Malt loaf

• Currant buns without icing

• Sandwiches or pitta bread filled with cottage cheese

• Chicken or lean ham

• Low-fat yoghurts

• Vegetable and bean soups

• Fruit including fresh, tinned in juice or dried fruit such as raisins or apricots

The amount of weight women put on during pregnancy varies a lot, but most women put on around 10-12 kilograms or 22-28 pounds over the whole of the pregnancy. Too much weight gain can affect your health and increase your blood pressure. But equally, it's important that you don't try to diet unsupervised when you're pregnant. If you're concerned about your weight talk to your GP or midwife.

ASDA is helping Tommy's to give every baby the best chance of being born healthy, aiming to raise £500,000 in 2009 for Tommy's vital research to find out why things go wrong in pregnancy and at birth. To find out more information and how you can help visit www.asda-tommys.co.uk.

For more information on healthy eating and pregnancy why not listen to our podcast.  Simply click on the link above or visit the podcast section of our website to hear our nutritionists advice.